A campaign is gathering momentum in Australia to save an Ancient Greek language program considered among the oldest and most significant in the country. Plans for discontinuation of the program at Melbourne’s Xavier College were announced following a years-long decline in student enrollment.
The decision has encountered significant pushback from parents, alumni, academics, and members of Australia’s Greek community, who argue that eliminating the program would mark the end of an educational tradition that has endured for nearly 150 years.
Founded in 1878, Xavier College is believed to be the only secondary day school in the Australian state of Victoria that still offers Classical Greek. If the program at the prestigious Jesuit school is discontinued, it would bring almost a century and a half of instruction in the language to an end.
Enrollment a factor in ending Ancient Greek program at college in Australia
School administrators say the decision was driven by a dramatic fall in student numbers, making the program increasingly difficult to sustain. Only four students are currently enrolled in Classical Greek across Years 9 and 10. The decline reflects a broader trend across Victoria, where just three students sat the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) Classical Greek examination last year.
While emphasizing the school’s long-standing commitment to classical education, Xavier said it must balance academic offerings with available resources and student demand.
Greek community pushes back
The announcement has sparked a public campaign calling on Xavier College and the Jesuit order to reconsider. A petition launched on Change.org has attracted growing support, with organizers arguing that Ancient Greek is far more than an elective subject. It is a cornerstone of Western civilization and an essential tool for studying the origins of philosophy, democracy, science, literature, drama, and history.
“The ancient Greeks provided firm foundations for philosophy, democracy, mathematics, sport, drama, history and literature,” the petition states. “Their language is the bedrock for understanding these at the source.”
Supporters also argue that preserving the Ancient Greek program is particularly significant in Melbourne, which is home to one of the world’s largest Greek diaspora communities outside Greece.
Is there still hope?
Xavier College has indicated that the decision may not be irreversible, leaving open the possibility of continuing the program if enrollment increases in future years.
Meanwhile, campaigners are urging the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA), educational leaders, and independent schools to work together to preserve Classical Greek before one of Australia’s oldest language traditions disappears from secondary education.
For many supporters, the debate extends beyond the school. They argue it reflects a broader challenge facing Classical Studies worldwide as declining enrollments place increasing pressure on humanities subjects despite their enduring historical and cultural importance.
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