Private Schools

[Satay Mat]

Originally posted by Porthos
If the government is giving the same amount to schools, private or public, for each student they educate, then its entirely fair.

If a given parent has been taxed x dollars to educate their child, then why should they have to pay that over again to just cover basic education, and -then- extra to get their child extra tuition?

Government funding of all education is the only fair thing...to exclude private schools is as bad as to exclude public schools - they're all in the same line of work.

I disagree on 2 counts:

1. You need to consider what is the role of Government in education....why is it involved at all ? I can see 2 reasons: a) left to their own means most people will not be able to fund an adequate education...it is about a fundamental human right to a reasonable level of education....b) economies of scale....IMHO private schools can only exist because the public system take up the majority of students in the country...developing curricula, employing teachers etc has some merit if done centrally. It is easy to offer a "higher" standard when you are free to reject students with learning difficulties etc

2. Your whole argument revolves around money. I actually think that it is fair that the vast majority of funding raised through taxes goes to the state schools....and yes that means that some people pay twice. Why ?? There is a social cost to a poor education system. I can afford to send my kids to a private school....however it is still in my interests to have the best state system posible, and I have a responsibility to pay for it. What you propose is a "voucher" system....where I have the choice to direct the element of my taxes to the school of my choosing (private or public). However this will reslut in a dilution of the public system and therefore a lower skilled workforce (less taxes raised in the future), health problems (low income = health problems), crime etc etc etc. So, I have a responsibility to pay for a decent state system even if I do not use it myself....because I gain so much from it in the long run.

Do you also think that the state has no part in paying for public health ??? Since under your model if I choose to go to a private hospital then ALL of my funding goes with me....????

SM

 

[Port1978]

Originally posted by Rohan_

However as opposed to public schools, a huge majority are employed. I know every member of our year is either in a full or part-time job.

All the people of know of from my year are also emplyed

Although I have two degrees, the worth of University is very overrated.

Well that really depends on what sort of work you want to do. I HAD to go to University to work in the field I'm in now.

 

[Rohan_]

Originally posted by port1978
Well that really depends on what sort of work you want to do. I HAD to go to University to work in the field I'm in now.

True if you study a specialised field such as Teaching, Medicine or Vet science but generic courses (which are more in vogue these days) such as Business and Commerce (which I did) don't require you to "have" to go to University.