Parents have continued to abandon the public education system, with non-government schools growing at almost 20 times the rate of government schools in the past decade…

Federal Education Minister Julie Bishop said the figures were a wake-up call to the states. “Parents are choosing to pay school fees at non-government schools because of the quality of education provided,” she said…

The Australian Education Union’s Victoria branch president Mary Bluett said the shift was in part a result of reduced federal funding for government schools. “Last year the federal funding share for Victoria was $920 per government school child and $4339 per non-government student … so I think it is influencing this trend,” she said…

Association of Independent Schools of Victoria chief executive Michelle Green said the growth in the sector showed that “more people are prioritising their children’s education”. She expected the trend would continue…

“Parents want their children to have the best opportunities available and apparently they don’t feel confident that is going to be the case in a government school education,” Mr Davis said.

Source: The Age
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