Declining Enrolments in Australian Public Schools: A Shift Towards Private Education

Recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) indicates a significant decline in public school enrolments across Australia, with the percentage of students enrolled in government schools dropping to 62.8% in 2025, down from 63.4% in 2024. This marks the first decrease since 2022, as independent school enrolments surged by 21% between 2021 and 2025. In total, 4.1 million students were enrolled in Australian schools in 2025, with 20% in Catholic schools and 17.2% in independent schools. Notably, public school enrolments fell by 0.4%, equating to 6,109 fewer students, while private schools saw an increase of 35,021 students, reflecting a 2.3% growth.

The Guardian

The decline in public school enrolments was not uniform across Australia. Only Western Australia, Victoria, and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) reported growth in public school enrolments, with increases of 1%, 0.5%, and 0.5%, respectively. Conversely, Tasmania experienced the largest decline at -1.7%, followed by New South Wales and South Australia, both at -0.9%. In New South Wales, private schools now account for 38% of student enrolments, a significant rise from 30% in 2000.

The Guardian

Experts attribute the shift towards private education to several factors, including the perceived underfunding of public schools. Trevor Cobbold, convener of Save Our Schools, emphasized that public schools are under-resourced compared to their private counterparts, which affects their ability to attract and retain students. Margery Evans, chief executive of Independent Schools NSW, noted that many families are drawn to low and mid-fee faith-based schools, particularly in Sydney's growing suburbs, due to their co-educational environments and combined primary-secondary offerings.

The Guardian

The decline in public school enrolments raises concerns about the socio-educational segregation within Australia's school system. Prof Pasi Sahlberg from the University of Melbourne warned that the increasing separation of students based on cultural and socioeconomic profiles could undermine social cohesion and inclusion. Sharryn Brownlee, president of the New South Wales Central Coast Parents and Citizens Association, called for public schools to better communicate their successes to families, suggesting that improved funding could enhance educational offerings.

The Guardian

Federal Education Minister Jason Clare acknowledged the positive trend of increased student retention rates, with 81.3% of students staying in school from year 7 to year 12, up from 79.9% in 2024. However, he noted that retention rates remain lower than the 2017 high of 84.8%, particularly in government schools, where the rate is 75.4% compared to 99.1% in independent schools. Clare emphasized the need for continued efforts to improve public education through agreements with state and territory governments.

The Guardian

• “Public schools do the heavy lifting in education but are not being resourced to do the job.” — Trevor Cobbold, Save Our Schools

The Guardian

• “Parents may also be influenced by more practical considerations; more than 85% of independent schools are co-educational and two-thirds combine primary and secondary into one school,” — Margery Evans, Independent Schools NSW

The Guardian

• “Australia already has one of the most socio-educationally segregated school systems among advanced countries,” — Prof Pasi Sahlberg, University of Melbourne

The Guardian

• “That’s what the agreements we’ve signed with every state and territory are all about ,” — Jason Clare, Federal Education Minister

The Guardian