Parents going private Figures show exodus of students from state system
17th March 2010
Author: John Masanauskas and Felicity Williams
Publisher: News Ltd
Publication: Herald Sun, Page 21 (Wed 17 Mar 2010)
Keywords: Martin (1),Dixon (1)
Edition: 1 - FIRST
Section: NEWSParents going private
Figures show exodus of students from state system
STUDENTS are flocking to private schools amid claims many parents are shunning the state system over falling standards.
Enrolments at Victoria's private schools have risen 12 per cent in the last decade but by just 2.3 per cent at state schools, Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show.
Sanctuary Lakes mum Nicola Smylie pulled son Hamish, 14, out of a local high school because she was unhappy with the state system. He now goes across town to Kew, to Trinity Grammar.
``He was pretty bored (at the high school). There wasn't any option to accelerate his learning -- it was pretty obvious the school wasn't going to stretch him,'' she said yesterday.
Ms Smylie is happy to pay hefty fees for a school that challenges her son academically and offers a wide range of activities.
Trinity deputy headmaster Rohan Brown said there was a big demand for places, especially at the junior level.
The number of private students in Victoria rose by 37,000 between 1999 and 2009, but state school enrolments rose by only 13,000, the ABS Schools Australia 2009 report, released yesterday, said.
An Education Department spokesman said thanks to 9550 more teachers and support staff and a record $1.9 billion building program, there was never a better time to be a state student.
But Opposition education spokesman Martin Dixon said parents had turned from state schools. ``Parents have witnessed badly maintained classrooms, increasing threats to student safety, and low literacy and numeracy standards,'' he said.
Education Minister Bronwyn Pike's spokesman said Mr Dixon preferred to bad-mouth state schools than focus on a rise in enrolments over the past year. ``Many parents will shudder when they remember the Liberal Party's history of systematically closing down and selling off government schools under Jeff Kennett,'' he said.
Independent Schools Victoria chief executive Michelle Green said the ABS figures showed more parents were willing to make sacrifices for their children's education, and governments were saving money as a result.
Victoria lost 56 state schools in the past decade, but gained 16 private colleges. Nationally, the number of private students rose eightfold compared with public school numbers over the period.
The most popular tertiary course for school-leavers was commerce and management.
Society and culture, creative arts, engineering and health were other top picks for full-time students, ABS figures showed.
About 130,000 of the 300,000 young people who finished school in 2008 went on to full-time study, the report showed.
A further 61,000 headed straight into the full-time workforce. About a third took up apprenticeships or traineeships to be builders, mechanics, electricians and hairdressers.
Notice Board
Parliament of Victoria
Live Broadcast
Subscribe
Want to keep up to date with the latest from Martin? Subscribe to our newsletter...
Enrol to Vote
Your vote will help shape Victoria's future, click here to enrol.
Survey
Take the time to complete our survey to let Martin know the issues which are of concern to you.
Contact Martin
Martin Dixon MP
State Member for Nepean
Shop 1, McCrae Plaza
Cnr Lonsdale Street and Pt Nepean Road
McCRAE VIC 3938
Phone: (61) 3 5986 6661
Fax: (61) 3 5981 1360
Email: martin.dixon@parliament.vic.gov.au