In her role as Scholarships Manager at the Public Education Foundation (PEF), Karen Griffiths is proud to be involved in a mission to support public school students from regional, rural, and remote (RRR) regions across Australia. But with the cost-of-living crisis impacting so many Australian families in 2024, the need for financial support proving more urgent than ever – and reviewing the plethora of applications she reviews is proving more emotional than usual.
“So far, we have over 130 applications submitted from students from Regional, Rural and Remote areas across Australia, with many more applications still in progress, while our primary and secondary scholarships remain open until mid-September,” says Griffiths.
For those hopeful of being approved for the financial support they need, the reality is that the PEF only has enough funds to support 10 of those students.
“Over 120 of those students who have already applied are preparing to take the big step of transitioning to tertiary education,” Griffiths says.
“For most of them, they will be the first in their families to complete a tertiary qualification.”
Supporting access to public education
The PEF is a national charity that supports students and educators in Australia’s public education system through scholarships and programs. On average, PEF scholarship support for tertiary students is $2000 per year. For secondary students, the average scholarship is $1,500 per year, and for primary students it’s $1,000.
Even though those amounts may seem small to some, Griffiths says receiving PEF scholarship support can change the trajectory of a student’s life. It’s a reality that underpins their current campaign for more donations to help fund future scholarships.
“As I review each application, I’m deeply moved by the stories of resilience and determination from these young students,” she says.
“It’s incredibly difficult to know that we can only offer scholarships to a few when so many are deserving and more importantly, in real need of the opportunity to pursue their dreams. Education is their ticket to a better life. Our scholarship support will allow them to fully participate in their education.
“I often say that I’m PEF’s designated crier. I just can’t help but feel for the applicants and their families. As a parent, I can only imagine how painful it must be for parents and guardians to be unable to provide for their child’s education. I want every child to have a laptop for their homework, to be able to join excursions and be involved in every aspect of their education.”
But because part of her role with the PEF is to form the selection panels, the news she shares with applicants can’t always be positive – especially with the financial pressures many Australian families and businesses are currently experiencing having a direct impact on the amount of donations the PEF receives.
Griffiths describes is as “truly difficult to tell our volunteer panel members that we can only fund a very small number of students from the many applications we have received”.
“The panels carefully review and rank each application based on the scholarship’s criteria knowing that each name chosen and every decision has a profound impact on a young person’s future,” she says.
“It’s a constant struggle, knowing that we can only fund scholarships based on the resources available, when in our hearts, we wish we could support every eligible student who applies.”
