Should the Govt fund private-school scholarships?

Photo / Bay of Plenty Times

From this year, the Government is providing $2.6 million worth of scholarships to allow students from low-income families to attend a private school.

The Aspire Scholarships will provide up to $15,000 towards the fees for every year a student attends the school. Up to $1500 will also be provided for course-related costs.

To be eligible for the scholarship, a student's primary carer(s) must not be a beneficiary of a trust, and the carer(s) must have a yearly gross income of $65,000 or less and a net worth of $150,000 or less.

The scholarships have been attacked as an "elitist" use of taxpayers' money but the Government says it is simply about giving choice to families who could not otherwise afford it.

What do you think?