The decline of public schools and the subsequent rise of private schools is a pressing issue in Australia, particularly in remote, rural, and disadvantaged communities. This trend is not only affecting the quality of education but also the accessibility of higher education for students. The ABC's recent report on Biloela High School in central Queensland highlights this problem, where a 12.5% drop in student enrollment over 15 months has led to the cutting of senior subjects, forcing more students to leave for private schools.
This issue is not isolated. Our research, spanning over a decade and involving over 10,000 students, parents, teachers, and community members, has revealed a systemic challenge. Young people in these communities do not lack aspirations to attend university; instead, they are constrained by limited opportunities within their schooling environments. When public schools struggle to attract teachers, offer advanced subjects, or provide stable learning environments, students face cumulative disadvantages.
The result is a vicious cycle. Declining enrollments lead to teacher shortages, which in turn reduce the capacity to offer certain subjects, prompting more families to leave for private schools. This segregation in the school system is not only affecting the quality of education but also the equity of higher education access. As one teacher, Breanna, noted, the perception of staffing issues can lead parents to send their children elsewhere, further exacerbating the problem.
The implications are far-reaching. Between 2006 and 2025, the proportion of Australian students attending private schools increased from 13% to 17%, while the proportion attending public schools decreased from 67% to 63%. This trend is not only affecting the quality of education but also the accessibility of higher education for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. University early entry schemes and enabling programs can help, but they are individual solutions to a systemic problem.
The government must take bold action to address the conditions that shape educational opportunity. This includes strengthening needs-based funding for disadvantaged schools, providing additional staffing and curriculum supports, and offering incentives to encourage schools to enrol students from a range of socioeconomic backgrounds. If Australia is serious about improving higher education equity, it must address the root causes of this problem, such as school segregation, unequal school funding, teacher shortages, and restricted access to academic subjects and pathways. Otherwise, our most disadvantaged students will continue to be left behind.
