The National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) welcomes the Coalition’s inclusive approach to partnering across all sectors in establishing a national network of Australian Technical Colleges, if elected.
NCEC Executive Director Jacinta Collins said the need for a sector-neutral approach is a key priority for Catholic school communities this election, in supporting choice and ensuring that students, regardless of where they attend school, can have fair access to education initiatives delivered by the next Australian Government.
“With 1,751 Catholic schools educating one in five Australian students – including nearly 40 per cent of those schools in rural and regional communities – Catholic education is well placed to help deliver the Coalition’s vision of strengthening learning pathways and addressing the skills shortage and youth unemployment, particularly in regional areas.
“Catholic schools have a strong tradition of providing quality vocational and skills pathways for students, and we value the commitment by the Coalition to work with both government and non-government sectors in this initiative.”
Australia’s 1,751 Catholic schools educate 820,000 or one in five Australian students and is the largest provider of schooling outside of the government sector.
Photo: Newman Senior Technical College, Port Macquarie