As households tighten their belts with the rising cost of living, it seems counterintuitive that more parents would be choosing to enrol their children in private schools.
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The latest figures from the ACT school census show non-government school enrolments grew 2 per cent since last year, while public school enrolments declined by 1 per cent.
Overall, more of Canberra's school-aged population are enrolled in the public school system, as has always been the case.
But the period of rapid enrolment growth peaked in 2017 at 3.9 per cent and has been falling in the years since.
As of February this year, the overall number of students barely grew, but the independent schools were able to swell their numbers by 578 students.
Catholic systemic schools run by Catholic Education Canberra Goulburn Archdiocese grew slightly by 59 students.
Parents are often asked the question "where are you going to send your child to school?" as soon as they tell friends and family they are expecting a new baby.
For some, it will be an easy choice. They might choose the school their family has been attending for generations. Others will go to the local public school in the priority enrolment zone where they strategically bought their house.
While religion is important for some families, faith is less of a factor in our increasingly secular society. Many parents of no faith or a different faith choose a faith-based school because of what they perceive as cohesive values, good pastoral care and effective discipline.
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Parents place a high priority on the physical campus - the gyms, the ovals, the specialist teaching areas - when making their choices.
Private schools with generations of wealth and investment behind them have a considerable leg-up in the quality of the physical learning environment.
Amid record spending on public school campuses, ACT government can't seem to keep up with maintenance and capacity problems.
Some families will have no choice in school. They cannot afford the exponential growth of school fees and all of the extras that come along with private education - pricey uniforms, excursions and extra-curricular activities. Public education is their only option.
Despite the interest rate crunch, parents will prioritise their child's education above many other competing demands on the household budget. If they think their child will get the academic or social support they need at a Catholic or independent school, they will find the money for school fees.
The numbers show that parents still see value for money in private education.
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