Home » News » Free glasses for primary pupils

Free glasses for primary pupils

State government has surpassed a major milestone in its free Glasses for Kids program.

The program has provided free prescription glasses to more than 5000 Prep to Year 3 pupils across Victorian schools, including schools in Hume and Whittlesea, since the program began in 2015.

Managed and delivered by State Schools’ Relief, the Victorian-first program has so far provided free vision screening to almost 32,400 Prep to Year 3 pupils from 408 government primary and specialist schools across Victoria.

Education Minister Natalie Hutchins said the program has given students every opportunity to learn and succeed.

“Giving Victorian children the opportunity to thrive at school goes beyond providing great education programs – this is about ensuring nobody is left behind because of common and very treatable issues like vision impairment.

“Health and education go hand in hand.”

Since the beginning of Term one this year, 758 students at 17 schools have had their vision screened, with 130 receiving free prescription glasses.

Digital Editions


  • Walk to Work Day coming

    Walk to Work Day coming

    The Pedestrian Council of Australia has announced a new initiative for Walk to Work Day, partnering with the Black Dog Institute to highlight the mental…

More News

  • Who are these Australians?

    Who are these Australians?

    The iconic ‘Three Well-Known Australians’ has made its way to Melbourne’s west for a limited time. The work, painted by Martin Shaw in 1982, depicts three figures – a blue,…

  • Support Sweethearts for HeartKids

    Support Sweethearts for HeartKids

    Every day in Australia, eight babies are born with a childhood-onset heart disease (CoHD), and this February HeartKids is calling on Australians to help support these children and their families…

  • Power bill relief a bonus

    Power bill relief a bonus

    The state government used one of the hottest days in Victoria’s history to urge households to apply for its power saving bonus program before it ends on 31 March. Before…

  • Help for heart kids

    Help for heart kids

    Every day in Australia, eight babies are born with a childhood-onset heart disease (CoHD), and this February HeartKids is calling on Australians to help support these children and their families…

  • Slow down around schools

    Slow down around schools

    Purchase this photo from Pic Store: 206998 With Victorian students returning to school for Term 1 of 2026, police are reminding motorists to slow down and take extra care around…

  • Geislinger’s perfect timing

    Geislinger’s perfect timing

    One of Hume City Broncos new imports for the Big V women’s championship was sitting right under their nose. Maddi Geislinger joins the Broncos having played with Melbourne University in…

  • Tubes of survival

    Tubes of survival

    Purchase this photo from Pic Store: 532349 February 1-7 was Feeding Tube Awareness Week, which aims to increase the understanding of tube feeding. Jena Carr spoke with two women with…

  • Have your say on Wollert buses

    Have your say on Wollert buses

    The state government is calling on residents to have their say on changes to bus services in Wollert and Epping before development plans are finalised. Public and Active Transport Minister…

  • What your federal MPs are talking about

    What your federal MPs are talking about

    Federal politicians are used to the public and pundits scrutinising their every word, but now AI has joined the long list of watchdogs keeping tabs on our elected officials in…

  • Workshops to support rural landholders

    Workshops to support rural landholders

    Whittlesea council is launching a new agriculture workshop series to support rural landholders in the municipality. The six-part The Regenerative Agriculture for Rural Landholders workshop seriesaims to improve land management…