Selective Funding
Saturday, January 01, 2000
Some Australian parents can afford to choose who shall teach their children. They can pick from state, Catholic and independent schools according to their judgement, their beliefs and their spending priorities.
But for many families, the choice of school is controlled by a regime of rewards and punishments. If you choose a state school, its free — no matter how rich you are. If you choose an independent school, you pay — no matter how poor you are.
The funding system is not based on social justice. It is based on protecting the market share of the big operators in the school industry. State system customers get 100% funding — regardless of family need. The Catholic System gets second-rank funding — about 70% for every student they enrol. Funding for an average-income family in an independent school is much lower again.
Under Dr Kemp’s SES plan, funding to independent school students is still low, but at least it is proportional to family need. More parents will be able to choose. It’s more democratic.
The new funding scheme opens up some long-closed doors of opportunity. True socialists would applaud it.
Philip O'Carroll