Rising fees challenge families choosing Catholic Education

Christina and Anthony Ween have made plenty of sacrifices over the years to meet the rising costs of Catholic education alongside a steady increase in the cost of living.

“I am very conscious of school fees on my budget bottom line, having had three (of four daughters) at Merici College at any given point in time over the last eight years,” Christina said.

“We are now down to two this year, which is a huge financial relief for us as a family.”

Christina said she remained confident the school, with its strong Catholic ethos, was the right choice for her children and a worthwhile investment.

“I choose Catholic Education to help reinforce Catholic values in my children’s upbringing and to immerse social justice, kindness, and love into their daily lives,” she said.

“I am supportive of the increases only because I know that without increases, it would be impossible for schools to continue to recruit and retain the high calibre of teachers and support staff, maintain and improve the school facilities, maintain appropriate teacher-student ratios, or offer the full range of co-curricular activities and international programs currently available to students.”

Despite her family being relatively financially secure, Christina said she felt the pressure of education costs, and was also concerned for others in the community.

“I can only imagine how other families feel and how much more they may have sacrificed than us and the difficult choices they have made to ensure the ongoing social and spiritual welfare of their children,” she said.

“I feel for families who are considering leaving the system based on financial pressures.”

For some families, Christina noted, choosing Catholic education might mean giving up extracurricular activities, forgoing treats like eating out and opting for cheaper choices on everyday expenses.

With three children at St Mary MacKillop College, Andrew and Lina Christian have also decided that Catholic education is a priority.

“For us, we look at school fees in light of the value we get back,” Andrew said.

“Education is really important in our family and our lives, and the foundational structure that schooling provides is something that is no different from going grocery shopping and saying, ‘I need this. Yes, I’ve got to pay a bit more for it, but it is important for our wellbeing.’”

Andrew said that, having seen a broad spectrum of their children’s friends in different schools, he was happy to pay more for the level of teacher interaction and care at MacKillop

“The staff they attract is worth it – the kids feel welcome, valued and included. There is a good culture at the school, and that flows through to the enjoyment of going to school and the teachers at the school and the whole environment. The kids went to a public primary school, and seeing the difference in that transition of moving to Catholic education has had a lot of value,” he said.

“It is a good bond, and we are prepared to pay for our children to experience that.”

Both the Weens and the Christians, however, believe that Catholic education should be affordable for all students.

“All families pay taxes and deserve equality and access to quality education,” Christina said.

“I am not supportive of the Gonski review or government approach to re-prioritise funding to government-run schools. I continue to support Catholic Education but would like to see more government support to make faith-based education affordable for all families who desire it.”