Education researchers are proposing a radical shift to the primary school funding model which would see private schools be fully funded by the government.

Under the new model, private schools would continue to be operated by religious bodies and non-profits, and public schools operated by the Education Department, but funding would be equally distributed.

Schools which opt to charge fees would no longer receive government funding.

Director of the Gonski Institute Adrian Piccoli admitted it “wouldn’t be an easy change, by any stretch” but told Deborah Knight it’s necessary to bring Australia in line with other OECD nations.

“If we look at the countries that do better than us, they don’t have that structure.

“They don’t segregate students based on the ability of parents to pay school fees, or the ability to pass entrance exams like in selective schools.”

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