Before I comment on the election, I wanted to acknowledge the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis last week. We join with the global Catholic community in this period of mourning and celebration for his ministry.
As I said in a media statement, Pope Francis’ belief in education as a tool for transformation resonates deeply with our mission in Catholic education. He inspired a generation of young people to live with courage and compassion, and he encouraged our educators and leaders to be focused on the dignity of each child with particular attention to those marginalised and disadvantaged.
As the Church looks towards the Conclave, may we continue to pray for Pope Francis and for his successor that we may continue to be guided with hope, compassion and solidarity in our work and mission.
Federal election
As the federal election campaign heads into the final week, I am pleased by recent commitments from both major parties to commit to school choice and sector inclusiveness which are key priorities for Catholic school communities.
These principles are crucial in maintaining fairness across school education and honouring the diverse needs of families and students, regardless of sector.
The recent commitment from the Coalition to expand Indigenous Boarding Grants and ensure non-government schools are eligible, is welcome support for schools like St John’s Catholic College in the Northern Territory, where boarding is the only educational pathway for many students. Catholic schools continue to serve some of the most disadvantaged students in Australia, and long-term investment is critical to sustaining these opportunities which help close the gap for First Nations’ students.
We also acknowledge the Coalition’s support of the Labor Government’s $1 billion Building Early Education Fund (BEEF), as well as to establish a new Raising the Regions Program which will address early childhood education and care needs in ‘child care deserts’ and regional areas.
However, recent comments by Greens Senator Penny Allman-Payne suggest a continued misunderstanding of the challenges faced by Catholic schools. In The Australian, Senator Allman-Payne suggested that I should focus on reducing school fees rather than “attacking the Greens”.
While many Catholic schools already have the lowest fees in the non-government sector, under current funding arrangements, our families are expected to contribute around 25 per cent of the Schooling Resource Standard (SRS). Catholic schools also provide significant discounts and financial hardship relief to make our schools as accessible as possible.
It’s hypocritical for the Greens to suggest we need to lower fees when they have consistently opposed initiatives like the Choice and Affordability Fund, which addresses distortions in the SRS Capacity to Contribute model and helps keep fees manageable in Catholic schools, particularly for families in disadvantaged communities.
We are not “attacking” the Greens’ support for fair funding for public schools. We whole-heartedly support fair funding across all school sectors!
However, the Greens’ education platform is seeking to provide additional funding on top of the SRS for public schools only. These proposals exclude non-government schools from support, including their proposition for $11.6 billion for free school lunches. This would result in reduced funding for students in Catholic schools in real terms, and would unfairly disadvantage socio-educationally vulnerable students especially in remote and First Nations communities.
Catholic schools educate over 42 per cent of students from the lowest socio-educational backgrounds. We call for policies that reflect real equity and we remain committed to working with all sides of politics to support choice, fairness, and access for every student.
Jacinta Collins
Executive Director
National Catholic Education Commission
Photo: Students from Gilroy Santa Maria College, Ingham, Qld