Catholic schools in Sydney’s northern suburbs have lost more than 320 students to neighbouring public schools — accounting for half the total decline in enrolments over the past year.
As many public schools buckle under the pressure of growing student numbers, the Catholic diocese of Broken Bay has blamed a rise in fees, brought about by the Turnbull government’s school funding changes, for enrolments slumping between 10 and 23 per cent in 31 of its 44 schools.
Interviews conducted with parents who had decided to withdraw their children revealed 50 per cent were moving to public schools, 20 per cent to Catholic schools elsewhere, and 12 per cent had opted for an independent school. Most of the 642 losses had occurred since August.
The trend has been supported by 2018 school enrolment figures provided to The Weekend Australian by the NSW Department of Education, adding weight to the warning of Broken Bay school director Peter Hamill of the “potential for flow-on impacts for the state government budget as families move students from low-fee systemic schools to already stretched public schools”.
From the Australian
Could also be that state schools offer a superior education.
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