John Paul College slashes fees for Term 2 online classes

A prestigious private school south of Brisbane will slash school fees by up to 25 per cent this term as the school moves online for at least half of the semester.

ONE of Logan’s most prestigious private schools is slashing school fees during Term 2 because of the coronavirus.

The temporary reduction at John Paul College will be 25 per cent for Prep to Year 3 students and 15 per cent for students in Years 4 to 12.

Elite Brisbane school St Joseph’s Nudgee College slashes fees amid coronavirus pandemic

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At this stage, this special discount will operate for term two only and will be calculated on the balance of the tuition fee amount paid by parents and caregivers. 

Kindy and childcare will be free of charge for term two under the State Government’s new Community Kindergarten Support Program and Commonwealth Government COVID-19 Early Childhood Education and Care Relief Package.

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College principal Karen Spiller said parents had embraced the news, offering thanks for the generosity.

“While we are doing all we can to offer a really effective, interactive and interesting educational program for our students; we recognise that it is not the same as face-to-face teaching characterised with frequent interaction with their teachers and in a class of their peers,” she said.

John Paul College principal Karen Spiller. File picture

“We also recognise that opportunities to participate in our co-curricular program are not currently available to our students.

“We continue to support our families who are in the greatest need through our confidential COVID-19 Financial Hardship Assistance program. We urge families who require further assistance to contact the college to discuss options.”

It comes after The Courier-Mail earlier revealed that private schools were not reducing fees despite moving online amid the coronavirus pandemic, with some standing down staff to cut costs in a move that has outraged parents.

Parents of students at John Paul College, who pay fees up to $10,600 for primary students and up to $13,980 for secondary students, were left dismayed after learning savings were being made through standing down staff at the end of term one.

Mrs Spiller said the college was committed to maintaining all permanent staff and any “cuts” were changes to additional casual staffing hours.

“(The term) ‘staff cuts’ is more correctly understood as mostly casual staff not being rostered while support staff are retasked to enable their ongoing employment.”