The government is investigating the construction of a new academy for gifted children next to Melbourne High School, which would allow gifted regional students to study full time at the state’s four select-entry high schools.

But Bendigo Senior Secondary College principal Dale Pearce said greater investment in improving opportunities for all regional students would be a better approach.

“Educational outcomes for regional students are worse than they are in the city, you don’t solve that problem by taking the best and brightest kids out of the country and sending them to Melbourne,” he said.

“This is not a solution, it’s just going to make the problem worse.”

Mr Pearce said he was “strongly opposed” to the proposal, which he said demonstrated a lack of confidence in what regional schools could offer students.

“I don’t support a model whereby students are taken out of their school and enrolled in a school in Melbourne, be it a select-entry school or any other school,” he said.

“If we have a model where students are able to access enrichment programs while still attending their own school, whether it’s in Bendigo or elsewhere in regional Victoria, then there might be some benefit in that but we want to be careful forming a view that only certain schools can provide enrichment or extension programs for gifted and talented students.”

Australian Catholic University gifted education expert Dr John Munro said many gifted students were not being identified, and could feel isolated in smaller, rural schools.

He said a gifted academy would provide students with mentors, and exposure to new ideas and other gifted children which may not be available in the country.

"Exposure to more people would challenge their thinking more broadly," he said.

With – The Age