A visit by Maitland RSL Sub-Branch officials to MP Robyn Parker began with their request for help to get more regional students to Gallipoli next year – and ended in confusion over figures.
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President Eric Bell (pictured) and vice-president Fred Goode protested yesterday at figures quoted on a state government website, stating that students would be selected from 19 metropolitan schools and six regional schools to attend the Gallipoli 100th anniversary commemoration.
They called for the selection criteria to be changed, so country schools had a fairer chance of sending pupils.
Ms Parker said there were actually 14 metropolitan schools and 11 from regional areas – not six as the RSL believed.
“We’ve checked these figure with Sydney,” Ms Parker said.
“There are 11 schools from rural and regional areas, which will be selected to send students.
“But we will be making representations to the minister concerned to see if we can find a bit more funding for our students.
“While we can vent our displeasure at what has been done, the government will go with what it has – it won’t change the selection criteria.”
A check of the Gallipoli 2015 School Tour website yesterday showed that 19 metropolitan and six regional schools would be chosen to send students to Gallipoli.
“This is the first we have heard about 11 regional schools from which students will be selected instead of six,” Mr Bell said. “Somebody has misinterpreted something.”