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MEDIA RELEASE Parents flock to Independent Public Schools in WA

Parents are recognising the transformative power of school autonomy, with new Australian Bureau of Statistics figures showing student enrolments in Western Australian Public schools are rising at more than twice the rate of those in non-government schools.

“According to the Education Director-General in Western Australia, this is the first time in twenty years the market share in public education grew in that State,” said the Shadow Minister for Education, Christopher Pyne.

“Over a third of Government schools in WA have become Independent, which means principals, parents and local communities are given complete autonomy to run their schools,” he said.

“Schools in WA have the freedom to hire the staff they believe will meet the needs of their students and are able to tailor their own education programmes to best suit the school.

“As a result, schools are able to engage with parents to a much greater extent by ensuring they are involved in the decision-making processes.

“Research suggests that the more parents are actively engaged in their child’s education the better the outcomes will be for their child.

“Increasing principal autonomy is one of the key pillars of the Coalition’s education policies and parents in WA are voting with their feet.

“Parents want schools to have more independence and principals to have greater control over how schools operate.

“Only a Federal Coalition Government will genuinely work with the States towards increasing school autonomy nationally,” Mr Pyne said.

21 March 2013

Media Contact: Adam Howard 0400 414 833