A new Catholic Schools NSW report shows taxpayers save billions of dollars each year when governments support a mixed model of schooling (government, Catholic, and independent) by investing in non-government education.
The Money Invested, Money Saved report from the Kathleen Burrow Research Institute ( Catholic Schools NSW’s research unit) calculates the savings to taxpayers when the Commonwealth Government decides to partially fund non-government schools.
It reveals that when all schools receive their full funding entitlement under the Australian Education Act formula, savings to taxpayers is $6.88 billion each year in recurrent funding.
These savings include $2.19 billion for primary students and $4.69 billion for secondary students.
Catholic schools make up $3.19 billion of these savings, and Independent schools $3.69 billion. On average, it would cost taxpayers 31 per cent more per student to educate these children in government schools.
The report comes at a time when enrolments are decreasing in the government sector and increasing in the non-government sector.
According to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data, almost 37 per cent of students are in non-government schools. Catholic Education supports nearly 20 per cent of students across the country, and more than one in five students in NSW.
Catholic Schools NSW chief Dallas McInerney said the report is an opportunity to realise how the non-government school funding model contributes to school choice.
“Australia has a winning formula for school funding,” Mr McInerney said. “Government schools have commitments of full funding, underpinning the importance of public education. Non-government schools are also assisted by governments, allowing Catholic schools to serve a growing number of families and communities with high-quality schooling via parental choice.”
“In Australian schools, parents value choice; likewise, all Australian taxpayers value their savings. This is a game where every Australian is a winner.”
FULL STORY
Money Invested, Money Saved students, families, and taxpayers the winners from non government school funding (Catholic Schools NSW)
