Catholic schools still top of pops

Sydney
20 April 2003

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Catholic schools remain the most popular form of education in Australia because “parents are looking for education that has a religion and value base”, says Br Kelvin Canavan, executive director of schools for the Sydney archdiocese.

Br Kelvin was responding to Bureau of Statistics figures which show Catholic schools have almost two-thirds of the one million students enrolled in non-government schools.

Catholic school enrolments have risen from 575,004 in 1985 to 653,690 in 2002, an increase of 78,686.

Anglican schools came in second, enrolling 112,225 students in 2002.

Since 1985, the Catholic Education Office has worked on improving the quality of education, standard of discipline and religious education in their schools.

These days, Catholic parents don’t automatically send their children to Catholic schools, so the education office is constantly looking at ways of meeting the needs of students and improving the facilities at their schools.

Br Kelvin says the office is under considerable pressure to develop more schools in the south west.

“Families are moving out to areas such as Liverpool, Holsworthy and Carnes Hill, but some Catholic schools out there don’t have the facilities to ensure every child gets a place,” says Br Kelvin.

“We are developing new primary schools at Holsworthy and Carnes Hill and exploring the possibility of a second school at West Hoxton Park.”