Private School Enrollment Surges in Australia

0:00Welcome to Sydney news today. Two minutes of news that matter to Sydney. Australia school system is seeing more segregation than ever, with private school enrollments hitting a record high for 2025. New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows 37.2% of students, or 1,547,000, 514 kids, now in private schools. That's up despite big fee increases, while public schools hold 62.8% or 2,613,400,4 students. Public school numbers drop sharply in places like Tasmania, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, and the Northern Territory. Other states saw small gains, but nothing close to the private sector boom. Schools like Australian Christian College Marsden Park and Sydney have tripled in size recently, going from about 450 to over 1,500 students with long waiting lists. Parents are making big sacrifices to get their kids into private schools.

1:03Families are skipping vacations, cutting spending, and prioritizing fees for better discipline, mental health support, and the right friends. One mom switched her teens from public to private, calling it an investment in education and manners. Experts point to funding gaps leaving public schools at a disadvantage. Associate Professor Emma Row, from Deakin University, says, parents follow the money, leading to less equity and higher family cost. Australian parents cover 22% of education expenses, way above the 9% OECD average. Even with cost of living pressures hitting half of households, a national Australia bank economist says, families want budge. They rank school fees right up there with pet care as untouchable priorities, driven by child well-being needs. The shift looks set to continue. Support for this DNN episode comes from our sponsor. Headphones in a pillow. Once you try it, it just makes sense. S-O-L-I-SOLYPILLOW.COM