Catholic schools across Australia are thriving. From humble beginnings 200 years ago, Australia’s 1,755 Catholic schools now educate more than 785,000 or one in five Australian students.

The major parties have given assurances to the National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) that they will support the commission’s national priorities which include:

• Capital funding
• Enabling faith-based education
• Supporting school choice
• Early childhood education
• Mental health and wellbeing for students
• Support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students

The Commission gauged the political parties’ responses to questions linked to these priorities and presented them in a report card. It shows the Coalition and Labor receiving three and four stars out of five in most categories. The ratings are based on responses to policy questions and public statements.

The NCEC’s executive director Jacinta Collins said “We are fortunate that both major parties continue to support genuine school choice in Australian education and are committed to families who choose a Catholic education for their children.”

The commission is urging parents who are educating their children in Catholic schools to “Make education a priority this federal election and vote for a party that does too.”

Some facts

• Catholic schools are a significant partner alongside government in educating Australia’s children
• Our schools give families the choice of a holistic, balanced and affordable education.
• Sharing our Catholic faith, lifting educational standards, and supporting the diverse needs and wellbeing of students is at the heart of our mission
• Catholic schools are inclusive welcoming students from all backgrounds and with growing numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and those with disability
• Almost 40 per cent of Catholic schools are outside major metropolitan areas