A trip to NASA is not your typical school camp, but that is where the students of Sydney's Domremy Catholic College are headed.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten toured the school in the affluent inner west suburb of Five Dock in the key electorate of Reid on Friday as his campaign made its first foray into Sydney.
He has pledged almost $400 million to provide 25,000 scholarships to boost the ranks of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) teachers.
Speaking to the private school students preparing to head to NASA in the US as part of their STEM studies, Mr Shorten told the girls he would make sure they did not pay too much in student university debt.
Asked by reporters whether the affluent school needed more government assistance, Mr Shorten insisted Labor was breaking the old debate between government and non-government schools and looking at need instead.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
Principal Vivienne Awad said the expensive trip to NASA was being funded mostly by the parents of students.
"It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our girls but it's a great beginning for us to be pushing those boundaries and saying to girls you can go to NASA," she told AAP.
The key to her school's success in STEM subjects was professional development.
Through a partnership with Sydney University, six STEM teachers have undergone a 12-month mentorship program with scientists and engineers.
