School fees relief is being offered to families battling the drought by the Catholic Diocese of Bathurst that takes in Dubbo.
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On Monday Bishop of Bathurst Michael McKenna reminded families to contact their school principals.
The reminder follows Sunday’s “day of prayer for rain and those suffering from the drought” in the diocese.
“The provision of affordable Catholic schooling should not be an added burden to the financial strain of families, especially for those in need in this time of drought,” Bishop McKenna said.
“We certainly do not wish to add to the financial burden families are currently experiencing.
“Money should not be a barrier to children attending Catholic schools.”
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On Tuesday a spokeswoman for the diocese said relief could be in the form of a “payment plan or delaying of payment for some time” depending on the personal circumstances of the family asking for help.
She said interest would not be charged.
The spokeswoman said fees relief for families facing financial hardship for any reason was a policy of the diocese’s education office.
“This is not something new,” she said.
“It’s a policy of our Catholic education office that has always been in place.”
The spokeswoman said Catholic education was established 200 years ago to “provide education for the poorest of our communities”.
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She said Bishop McKenna was keenly aware of the impact of the drought on communities and families because of extensive travelling in the diocese.
Dubbo has one Catholic high school and four Catholic primary schools.
