Private schools get public funding despite making millions

Some of Sydney’s private schools have defended state and federal funding as essential, despite posting multi-million dollar profits last year.

According to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald, none of Sydney’s prestigious fee-based schools reported a loss last year.

Boys school Cranbrook reported a profit of $7.3 million, while also receiving $5.3 million in government funding. Loreto Kirribili had the biggest surplus of $12.9 million.

Loreto Kirribili principal Janet Freeman told the Herald it was not possible to run the school without government funding.

“All government funding goes towards our salaries,” she said.

But there have been calls for funding reform.

“These private schools are receiving more funding per student from the federal government than thousands of public schools,” the federal president of the Australian Education Union, Angelo Gavrielatos, said.

“Rather than providing an education benefit, the money is just boosting their profits.”

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