Shocking new data: Australia is the MOST EXPENSIVE country in the developed world to send a kid to high school!
Families pay an average of $4,967 per year per child – almost 4× the OECD average of ~$1,262.
Why? Over 40% of high schoolers go private (2nd highest in OECD, only behind Chile), and fees average >$11k/year, reaching up to $55k at elite schools.
Public schools are cheap (or free), but the massive private sector drags the national average sky-high.
This didn't happen by accident. The privatisation push started under the Howard government: scrapping the New Schools Policy (allowing easy new private schools in existing areas) + generous funding changes that boosted private enrolments and let fees soar.
Result? A two-tier system where wealthy schools get huge public subsidies + high fees, while public schools face funding shortfalls and many families get squeezed.
We need radical reform – not more taxpayer cash to schools that don't need it.
#Australia #Education #PrivateSchools #PublicEducation #CostOfLiving #HowardGovernment #SchoolFunding #Inequality #OECD #Sydney #NSW