Shutting down private schools isn’t the answer to Australia’s education divide

In Australia, the divide between public and private schools has become a growing concern. Private institutions continue to benefit from substantial government funding, while public schools struggle with overcrowded classrooms, outdated facilities, and limited resources. The current funding model needs to be re-evaluated—not by banning private schools, but by creating a more equitable distribution of resources that ensures every school, public or private, receives a fair share.

The Financial Divide

Australia’s private schools are heavily subsidized by government funding, often at the expense of public education. Over the last decade, private schools have diverted a staggering $2.5 billion into capital projects, while public schools remain underfunded and overcrowded. For comparison, Finland has an equal funding model that has positioned its schools among the best globally. Every student, regardless of their socio-economic status, receives an equal share of resources. In Australia, however, private schools continue to receive millions in taxpayer funding each year.

Despite charging $30,000–$45,000 per student in fees, private schools still receive substantial government funding. Between 2015 and 2019, private school assets rose by 42%, while public schools saw little to no growth in resources. This disparity is stark when comparing the facilities of private institutions like Shore in Sydney, which invested $52 million into a new pool and sports complex, while public schools struggle to secure funding for essential needs like heating or hygienic bathrooms.

The Social Divide

The funding disparity isn’t just about money; it’s about inequality. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the top 50 private schools have assets valued at $8.5 billion, while public schools—serving the majority of Australian students—can barely keep up with the demand for classroom space and essential resources. The wealthiest private school in Sydney, Shore, posted a surplus of over $23 million in 2019, a figure that exceeds the entire budget of some public schools.

“What’s really happening here is a creaming-off of talent, money, and energy to sustain the schools’ placing in the academic or sporting leagues, further reinforcing their status and income while leaving the public sector impoverished,” said one critic. Private schools may argue they provide a better education, but research from David Gillespie in his book Free Schools suggests that, when accounting for socio-economic advantages, private schools don’t deliver better outcomes than public schools.

A Broken System

This imbalance in funding deepens social divides and damages the overall education system. “We’re not just consumers. We’re citizens,” says education advocate John Hattie. “To create citizens, as opposed to market hagglers, our system must radically change.” By focusing resources on private schools, we are depriving public schools of the funding they need to serve all students equally, creating a system akin to “separate development,” reminiscent of apartheid.

In recent years, the Morrison government allocated $10 billion in extra funding to private schools, while public schools faced a deficit of at least $6.5 billion annually. This skewed system enables private schools to hike fees, attract wealthier students, and generate more revenue, while public schools continue to fall behind.

What Needs to Change?

The solution isn’t to ban private schools but to overhaul their funding structure. Private schools should operate independently, relying on their own resources. “If they want to maintain their luxurious facilities and exclusive status, they should do so with their own resources,” argues education reform advocate Michelle Green.

Rather than continuing the current system, we could look to Finland as a model, where all schools are public and teachers are highly respected professionals. Finland’s literacy and numeracy rates are among the highest in the world, not because of private school privileges, but because of a public system with equal funding and a commitment to educational excellence.

“We need to make teaching a profession that is highly respected, where people aspire to be educators,” says Pasi Sahlberg, a key figure in Finland’s educational reforms. This could be achieved by reallocating some of the resources currently given to private schools toward boosting teacher salaries and ensuring that public schools remain competitive and attractive.

The Case for Public Schools

By nationalizing schools and redirecting resources into public education, Australia could create an education system that values equity over elitism. Teachers would be better compensated, ensuring high-quality education in public schools. Public schools could then attract and retain the best talent, empowering students and fostering a more creative and vibrant society.

Australia can take inspiration from John Howard’s gun laws, which transformed the country’s approach to public safety, and from Finland’s education reforms, which revolutionized their schools in just a few short years. We have the potential to build an education system that benefits all students, not just the privileged few.

By creating an equitable distribution of funding, we could ensure that every school, public or private, has the resources it needs to help students thrive, no matter their background. It’s time to make a change, and it starts with our education system.