page_title: Education in Australia
section_title: Government schools
hierarchical_section_title: Education in Australia / Primary and secondary education / Types of schools / Organisational structures / Government schools
caption_attribution_description: English: Warwick State High School, 2017
context_page_description: Education in Australia encompasses the sectors of early childhood education and primary education, followed by secondary education, tertiary education and adult education. Regulation and funding of education is primarily the responsibility of the States and territories, however the Australian Government also plays a funding role.
  Education in Australia is compulsory between the ages of four, five, or six and fifteen, sixteen or seventeen, depending on the State or territory and date of birth.
  For primary and secondary education, government schools educate approximately 60 percent of Australian students, with approximately 40 percent in non-government schools. At the tertiary level, the majority of Australia's universities are public, and student fees are subsidised through a student loan program where payment becomes due when debtors reach a certain income level.
  Underpinned by the Australian Qualifications Framework, implemented in 1995, Australia has adopted a national system of qualifications, encompassing higher education, vocational education and training, and school-based education.
context_section_description: Also called state schools or public schools, government schools educate approximately two-thirds of all school students in Australia. If a student elects to attend a government school, they are required to attend a school within their local school district unless the student has dispensation to attend another school, usually approved on the basis of academic merit, specialisation, or other reasons, such as a student disability.
  Government schools are run by the respective state government agency. They offer free education; however, many government schools ask parents to pay a contribution fee and a materials and services charge for stationery, textbooks, sports, uniforms, school camps and other schooling costs that are not covered under government funding. In 2010 the additional cost for schooling was estimated to be on average $316 per year per child.
  Government schools may be further categorised into open or comprehensive schools,  selective, special, and specialist schools; all defined below. In 2009 the Western Australia government introduced Independent Public Schools to describe a government school that, while a part of the state education system, was granted a higher degree of decision-making authority than a regular government school. A similar reform was introduced in Queensland and, as of December 2018, 250 government schools commenced as independent public schools in Queensland. In February 2014 the then Federal Education Minister, Christopher Pyne, announced a $70 million Independent Public Schools Initiative to support 1,500 Australian government schools to become more autonomous.
  Government hospital schools are located at some major hospitals and provide access to tuition for students who have extended stay in hospitals.
  Across Australia, the Federal Department of Education sets the overall national policy and direction for education in Australia. The following state and territory government departments are responsible for the administration of education within their respective jurisdictions:
caption: Warwick High School, a government school in Warwick, Queensland, pictured in 2007.
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