Private schools the pick for more parents in Tasmania

Australian Bureau of Statistics data show that more children are attending a private school in Tasmania, with increases in student numbers at independent and catholic schools.

From 2022 to 2023 the private school system in Tasmania increased by up to 500 students.

Last year more than 54,300 students attended one of the state's 189 government-run schools, and more than 26,500 students attended one of 72 independent and catholic schools.

It is a continued trend.

Fifteen years ago private schools experienced a 7 per cent increase in student numbers, while at the same time public school numbers fell by 5.1 per cent.

One explanation for growth in private school enrolments is the under-funding of public schools and the over-funding of private schools.

The Schools Resourcing Standard (SRS) is government funding given to schools that is calculated based on student needs, but no state school in Tasmania is funded to their full amount.

According to the Australian Education Union most Tasmanian schools are funded to 94 per cent of their SRS.

It campaigned to get full funding by 2028, and AEU state president David Genford said proper resourcing could change lives and lift school results.

"With full funding, our principals can employ more teachers and reduce class sizes. We can recruit more education support staff and give teachers the time and support they need to offer students greater individual attention," he said.

Public school education advocate Chris Bonnor, on the University of Technology Sydney's Talking Teacher podcast, said the issue required not only funding but big structural reform by strong governments.

Mr Bonnor explained that John Howard's policy to substantially increase funding of private schools was aimed at making them more accessible to the poor.

But he said the funding was provided without regulation, funding went up but so did private school fees, and their affordability went down.

"[So] we have one third of parents and kids with a vested interest in not seeing any change to the system that we have," Mr Bonnor said

"And that really dooms what we have to continue to perpetuity...unless we can create a conversation that will not disadvantage those people."

Mr Bonnor said a bigger and varied choice of schools, which offered education styles outside of the current traditional institutions, was needed.

Such as schools that do not just measure student achievement and outcomes based on academic results for the Tasmanian Certificate of Education or Australian Tertiary Rank Admission.

"Schools where the whole framework of learning and teaching changes, with very high student engagement, and very focused young people who know what they want to do after school," he said.

"[Schools] that make sure schooling experiences help them reach that goal."

Mr Bonnor said measuring student engagement and fostering a belief in learning would assist young people into and across adulthood, and provide more equitable education for all.

"[A belief in learning] is what is going to carry them through their later life, not their net blown scores while they're at school, which won't carry them very far," he said.

"A belief that if their life falls apart, they can go back and learn again, in different ways for different pathways, for a different future."

Tell us what you think: ibird@austcommunitymedia.com.au

Why did you choose an independent/catholic school for your children? Why do you prefer public education? How can the public system improve?