Parents with children at an independent Catholic college are outraged by plans to allow students to ‘learn from home’ one day a week.
Chevalier College in NSW’s Southern Highlands, where annual fees are more than $11,000, is offering students in years 10 to 12 to learn from home one day a week.
Principal Greg Miller told parents that from next year, students in grades 10 to 12 will be “invited to learn from home on some Mondays” if they complete a special module, reported The Sydney Morning Herald.
But parents at the school have been left furious by the plans, with one even claiming they have pulled their children out.
“We believe that children should be at school for five days and not mess around at home for one day,” says a parent, who wishes to remain anonymous.
Chevalier College in the Southern Highlands of NSW, where annual fees top $11,000, is offering students in years 10 to 12 to ‘learn from home’ one day a week (stock)
Parents at the school (pictured) have been left furious over the plans, with one even claiming they have pulled their children out
Former student Nicci Bauer, who now has her own children at Chevalier, said she was concerned about the lack of consultation surrounding the decision.
“We are concerned about the disruption, especially for HSC students who will miss face-to-face instruction,” she said.
“There was little consultation and it seemed like it went from a proposal to a deal announced in a newsletter.”
Catholic Schools NSW chief executive Dallas McInerney questioned whether this was a wise move after many children faced forced home schooling during the pandemic.
“If COVID has taught us anything, students can really struggle when they are expelled,” he told the Herald.
‘We should be providing more school facilities for children, not less, and we know the social problems children experience after long periods of out-of-school learning. So fresh from the pandemic, is it really time to experiment with their future?”
Mr Miller said students would still go to the school campus for events on some Mondays, and the changes would “prepare students for success in the modern world.”
“This change will reduce the number of face-to-face classes, reshape the teaching schedule and give teachers more time for professional learning,” he told the newspaper.
Ny Breaking Australia approached Chevalier College for comment.
Unlike state schools, independent institutions can set their own opening hours.
Chevalier College has almost 900 students and is run by the priests and brothers of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart.
Notable alumni include former NSW Premier John Fahey.