Why did the Roman Catholic Church oppose the Public Instruction Act of 1880?

The Roman Catholic Church opposed the Public Instruction Act of 1880 in New South Wales primarily because it objected to the transfer of educational control to secular authorities.1

The act sought to replace the existing dual system—in which church and state schools operated side by side—with a system of primary schools provided solely by the state. For the Catholic Church, this created a fundamental dilemma: while Catholic citizens were financially obligated to support the public system through their taxes, the Church remained committed to providing education within schools of its own faith.12

Because the legislation disallowed sectarian claims for financial support and sought to establish a secular, government-controlled system, the Catholic Church refused to acquiesce to the movement. Instead, it continued to operate its own independent school system, thereby perpetuating a dual educational structure despite the state's efforts to centralize control.21