While public schools in B.C. grapple with low enrollment, private schools are flourishing.
"Provincially, there's been a drop of 10,000 kids enrolled in public schools and an increase in private schools of 10,000 students," said Patti Bacchus, chair of the Vancouver School Board.
At St. John's private school in Vancouver, enrollment has almost doubled this decade.
"It's a very personal school. We know every child," said Stephen Hutchison, the school's headmaster.
"We know their quirks and we know what works. A child can't hide here."
Parents have no problem paying the $12,000 to $15,000 tuition.
"We have decided to make that commitment to our children and their learning because we really didn't want them to miss out on their education," said Kay Fung-Wang, the mother of three children.
She said she believes her children were missing out at public school because of funding cuts.
"We found the funding limited the learning," she said. "For example, computers in the classroom - one per classroom and not always working."
Bacchus said she understands parents' frustration.
"They want their children to have the best possible chance and when they hear constant erosion of funding to public schools it does create concern."
