The front page news on this day in 1987 was that more and more public high school students in Canberra were choosing to continue on to year 12.
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A census of ACT schools showed the proportion of students who chose to complete year 12 rose to 86.1 per cent, a 5 per cent rise on the previous year.
The 86.1-mark was the highest retention rate in any kind of Australian schooling, with a national retention rate of 48.7 per cent which covered all kinds of schools. ACT public schools had also reached their highest overall enrolments yet.
The chief education officer of the ACT Schools Authority, Eric Willmont, attributed these figures to the way public schools were meeting the needs of students.
"The result is not due solely to the ACT social composition or the high interest in and care for education by people in the ACT generally," Mr Willmont said.
"It also reflects the fact that the public secondary colleges, their staff members and their boards, consisting of staff, community, parent and student representatives, are producing educational programs to meet students' career and cultural needs."
