School fee "donations" & activity fees - Where to draw the line?

[p.dath]

I am on this subject to an extent. For no other reason except to get reactions. I would like to see why people feel they should not have to pay for some of the best education in the world.

I never asked for the "some of the best education in the world". I am happy for this to exist in NZ in the private sector, where those not forced by the law have the option to make that additional investment.

I just want a "standard" level of education for my children. That's all I can afford. There's no extra money hiding. And even if there was, why should I be forced to spend it on a premium service?

I am also happy with the student loans arrangement, where those seekng a higher education can make the *choice* to also invest in their education. So everyone has the opportunity.

Why can't you? I can't afford to put new tyres on my bike.

First, there is no legislation forcing you to ride a motorbike. And if you choose, there is only a *minimum* standard set. You aren't forced to buy "some of the best tyres in the world".

Fantastic in regards to you paying activity fees and subject fees though - but how do you feel about the people who freeload off you paying?

It's simply a fact of life that you'll need to get used to. Mostly it happens because of things beyond your control - such as large scale Government organisations protected by legislation leaving you with no say in the matter. It's best no to sweat things beyond your control.

But it does raise the question - $20/week?
If it is such a problem for so many NZer's - why don't they simply cut it out and drop the standard of education? Surely that would make everyone happier than having to pay an extra grand or so a year?

Here are the Governments financial accounts:
http://www.treasury.govt.nz/governme.../yearend/jun11

You'll see as one of the tax payers we already chipped in $11.65 billion dollars for education. The ministry of education web site says the school year floats around 40 weeks, so thats about $291 million a week. According to the DOL there is about 2.2 million employed people in NZ (and I'm one of them). That being the case, each employed tax payer is already paying a notional average of $132/week.

I think $132/week is already a precent decent whack.

So is out education system that much of a rip-off?

I'm not questioning value for money. I'm quesitoning the magitude of the money.

If Telecom started offering a Terrabit internet connection for $1m/month I'm not suddenly going to take up the offer because it represents great value. I simply couldn't afford to spend $1m/month, and even if I could - I still wouldn't make that choice.

[p.dath]

Good post.

You've reminded me of a meeting at our primary school prompted by the school "donation" argument. The principal showed us some books which regularly disappeared and explained there was no budget provided for that. Basic things I thought our taxes paid for - were not. Dictionaries as referred to earlier.

There is no budget provided for this only if the school does not put it in their budget. Sounds like a simple problem to do with the spending priorities of that school to me, or an error of judgement made by the school management. It sounds like a very predicatable expense to me - especially if they say it happens regularly.

I would have thought spending on books in this manner would have had a higher priority that school trips ...