Catholic schooling ‘worth every penny’

Sydney
11 May 2003

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Catholic schooling ‘worth every penny’

By Damir Govorcin

Candy Joyce says the decision to send her children, Jessica and Michael, to Catholic schools was never in question.

“There was no other alternative,” she says. “I was sending my kids to a Catholic school no matter what.

“Catholic schools provide a holistic education, which I feel is very important.

“I don’t think at a state school my kids would learn about spirituality, which I believe is something that can’t be ignored.

“Your child’s well-being and education are catered for at a Catholic school.

“Sacrifices have to be made to send my kids to a Catholic school, but it’s worth every penny.”

Jessica, 16, is at a private Catholic school, while 12-year-old Michael is in Year 6 at McAuley Primary in Rose Bay.

Michael has some learning difficulties, but his special needs are catered for at the school.

Candy says the caring nature of the Catholic school environment allows her son’s education and self-esteem to continue to build.

“It’s a compassionate learning environment without the pity,” she says.

“I think kids with learning difficulties have behavioural problems because the standards they are set are too unrealistic.

“Catholic schools challenge the person, but don’t set unrealistic goals.”

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

He 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 rose 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 Catholic 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.

Marea Michael had no hesitation in putting her four sons through Catholic education.

All have gone to Marist College, North Shore, where the youngest, Peter, is in Year 11.

“Education is the most important gift my husband and I could give our sons and we are delighted with the way our boys have turned out,” says Marea.

“Catholic schools offer such a well-rounded education, which includes sport, music and arts.

“Discipline is also an important factor. It’s an important part of growing up and the boys have learnt to conform to rules.

“They have learnt they can’t do what they feel like.”

Marea says zero tolerance of bullying, plus social justice programs make Catholic schools attractive for parents.

“Bullying and violence is so commonplace these days, but Catholics schools don’t tolerate it,” she says.

“There’s also a real sense of community and family and the kids are taught to help people in need by volunteering for a charity like the St Vincent de Paul Society.

“The kids are taught to respect people in authority and the teachers do genuinely care for the students.

“The teachers become their friends and role models and there’s a mutual respect.”

Mary Searson had the choice of sending her five-year-old daughter Erin to a public school nearby, but instead enrolled her at St Columba’s, Leichhardt North, because she wanted her to be taught Catholic values.

“The sacrifice involved is driving my daughter in peak-hour traffic, but I wanted Erin to have a spiritual education,” says Mary.

“Erin is being taught prayers, learning to say Grace and she comes home singing hymns. She is happy at the school and the money spent is well worth it.”

Catholic Weekly editor Johanna Bennett and husband Bill chose to enrol both their daughters at Catholic schools because the schools “act Christian - they’re kind to the children”, says Johanna.

“Sometimes people look at you like you’re an idiot when you say such things,” she says, “because they are focused on their kids ‘getting on’.

“But kids who are treated kindly are often the ones who get on best anyway.”

They chose Brigidine College, St Ives, for Briony, 13, “because it was the one friends told us was the kindest”.

“I remember my own experience in London of being sent to a Catholic school at nine,” says Johanna, “and being overwhelmed by how nice the teachers and the kids were compared with the state school I had previously attended.”

Their younger daughter, Lucy, 11, now at Prouille Catholic Primary, Wahroonga, will join Briony at Brigidine next year.