School fees cuts to be phased in to lessen impact
Tuesday 26th October 2010, 2:58PM BST.
Education Minister James Reed.
CUTS to the subsidies of fee-paying schools would be introduced in September of next year and would be phased in, the Education Minister has said.
Responding to a request from the Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny panel to introduce the cuts gradually if they are approved, Deputy James Reed said any reductions would be phased in to minimise the impact on parents.
Fee-paying schools have also been asked to provide the minister with details of what support is available for parents with more than one child at the same school, and how they manage cases of financial hardship.
From there, he said, a decision will be made on whether that support is sufficient to maintain access to fee-paying schools.
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The proposal as it stands is to phase in over 2 years, that is a completely unrealistic timeframe to allow parents to adjust to this draconian slash in funding.
The ESC comprehensive spending review has savings identified of £10.8mill, however it also has “growth proposals” of £4.15mill, so the net effect to the ESC budget is only a saving of £6.95mill or 6%
The cuts to the fee paying schools is £4.2mill or 60% of ESC savings!!
In year 2011/2012 states primary and secondary schools have zero cuts, fee paying £2.363mill. In 2012/2013, states schools have £1.925mill cuts, fee paying £1.842mill
The proposed cuts to fee paying grants is so disproportionate it beggars belief.
I assume as he doesnt say to the contrary his statement that any cuts will be phased in will be over two years as identified in the CSR. This man is a joke.
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Oh well we are quite lucky I guess…at least its not eaton and wimbledon prices eh?
Get real!!! financial hardship does not apply if you have an extra couple of grand to send your kid to school or are able to earn that! Real world please!! Go live on breadline and then understand the meaning of hardship!
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Vicki
I don’t think most parents would plead hardship, rather a grossly unfair raid on their already taxed incomes. I also guess you won’t plead hardship with access to the internet. There are fewer and fewer middle income families paying the bills for more and more unwilling to make their contribution.
Our states members would do well to remember that those who can be bothered to work hardn pay taxes and school fees are probably the same people bothered to vote, sorry I meant ‘bovvered’
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2. Vicki
Agree with your comment. Its a shame that some of the parents who are effected can still not provide the answer to my previous question.
Why should i pay for their child to go to PRIVATE school?
All i get back is it will cost the tax payer more, well how can it cost me more if i am already paying for the FUNDED schools? At least the funded schools are having to find savings to reduce the costs yet no word from the PRIVATE schools on how they intend to reduce their budgets to stem any future increase. Lets not also forget that PRIVATE schools are run like a business.
Also lets not forget that the fees are only been cut by a percentage and not fully taken away so parents will still get some kind of funding from the taxpayer.
Why should i pay for PRIVATE schools?
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@4 Mark G. How many times does this need to be said? Read and understand.
*You* are not paying for Private schools.
Every tax payer in the Island pays for all children to be educated (whwther they have kids or not).
Private school parents pay EXTRA on top of the taxes already paid.
Private schooled children are LESS of a burden on the taxpayers in general because even though people are paying for them to go to a Public school, they dont go there, so you need less Public schools, less teachers – less overall expenses.
So closing down Private schools does not save money, its costs more as there will be an extra 1000 children for the States to Educate. More schools, more teachers, more States employees, pensions, computers etc.
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Why send a child to a fee paying school if there is a free of charge alternative.
I can only assume its so people with the available cash can give their child a better start in life (as fee paying schools undoubtedly do) over those that cannot afford it.
Raising the fees will do nothing other than change the point of divide between the haves and the have nots.
It will make no difference at all to an unequal society.
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Why do people send children to fee paying schools?
Im guessing for a couple of reasons, primarily smaller class size (which supposedly affords more teacher attention = higher standards of learning) and choice – you dont always get to choose which school your kids can attend – even if you live 100m away it may be full forcing you to go elsewhere..
Agreed, raising fees will do nothing but increase the burden on taxpayers and Education budget, and increase the “class” divide, making Private schools totally in the realm of the Elite.
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The Bean
You are wrong you are expecting us to cover the additional cost for you to send the children to PRIVATE. If you are unable to cover the full fees then get with the rest of us pesants and get what we all pay for in States schools.The only correct thing you state is that everyone pays for schools STATE schools that is.
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No I dont plead hardship with access to the internet as I dont have to, although those in third world countries probably would…
We all have choices in life, I pay my fair share of taxes aswell and also have a child who goes to a states school, will not make comment on people that do send their children to private school Island who don’t as it is your choice. No amount of private education or money will give your child intelligence.. thats something that we dont have a choice over.. and with the world rapidly changing in the way it is there may be a few that may need to come down to earth a bit and eat some humble pie… you either have it or you dont.. pretty liberal I would say and as for listening to constant whinging about not being able to afford.. well welcome to the real world I am not bovvered ok?
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How funny.. it would be great to see the try hards take the mick out of Sir Alan Sugar saying bovvered.. now that would be quite interesting
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It would be an interesting read to see the schools accounts…with all annexes intact alongside the breakdown of income and expenditure..
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Marg G – Alternatively, why should I as someone who pays £9,000 a year towards my sons education,have to pay towards educating others at states schools! Same principal. I should at least get this as a tax allowance seeing as i am saving taxpayers this expense.
As for states schools making savings see my previous post!
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Mark – #4 Maybe one reason parents choose to send their children to private schools is to ensure that they know the difference between “affected” and “effected”.
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Here we go again, the ‘spelling gang’ are out.
13. Sam.
If all you have to do in life is correct people about their spelling and grammar then go find a dictionary and sit in the park. Second thought why don’t you apply to the Education Minister for a job!
Back to the topic.
5. The Bean
You state i am not paying for PRIVATE schools but what is the money that the States give to the PRIVATE schools? Tax Money! My Money!
Yes you pay tax to and this is used to fund schools but you have a choice and that choice is either send your kids to a FUNDED school or pay up and go PRIVATE. Going PRIVATE means paying. PRIVATE doctor, dentist, health etc etc means you pay and you have a choice yet we all pay social security.
This issue may increase FUNDED schools capacity but just think what can be done with the extra £4000 – £9,000 per year. Put 1000x£4000 back in the economy in Jersey? Its all Maths!
The rich pay taxes, although that is debateable in Jersey, and they pay for FUNDED schools via tax but they choose to pay to send their children to PRIVATE school and have everything else PRIVATE. Its a fact of life.
12. Steve – See above
I understand that those effected by this proposal will have to dig deep into their pockets but that was your choice. I to have been effected by the States cuts and i will have a moan but it on other topics but i still have a choice on my future actions that effect my finances.
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12.Steve
I must apologise to you for the comment made on the other page. I got your name mixed up with someone else’s who did not want to join the debate but just pick on ones spelling just like 13. Sam.
Regarding the topic please see above post.
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I think this has gotten too policital, with the argument from most “peasants” (as Kate puts it) – is one of jealousy.
Lets get back to the real issue – this measure was supposed to save money. However the figures to show it will save money simply dont stack up.
All this debate is deflecting the real issue – the constant waste and un-necessary expenditure the States continue with – thats what really annoys most taxpayers.
We all have dozens of examples, but heres just one – when you see teams of workmen taking weeks to dig up roads, change pavements, put in crossings etc. you have to ask yourself exactly why, do we need to, how much does it cost, and is it worht it?
We should insist on a fully costed business case for each and every activity they spend money on.
Also we need to insist on “Time and Motion” studies for all States Departments.
All these headline cuts are ridiculous – I see no cuts being made in Cyril Le Marqand for example, where 1/2 of the staff are on contracts or the same in planning who sit around doing nothing all day (a friend who works there tells me).
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Mark G – Thanks! I dont get why some people can only comment on spelling and not add anything to the debate.
I think if everyone looked at the fee paying schools as not private but as a public-private partnership (which it is) serving 40% of the children in education, then there may be a better understanding of why parents take issue to the proposed changes. Jersey has a unique and very successful education system and any cuts should be opposed by everyone.
Re the question why would anyone want to send their children to a fee paying school, 40% (plus many others who cant get in as the fee paying schools are full) cant be wrong.
The better solution would be to develop the fee paying schools to allow more capacity thereby reducing further the budget (and taxes) required for states schools.
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The Bean, there is a massive subsidy from general taxation to parents who are being provided with what is effectively a private school education. I’m pretty sure the amount parents over here pay for those schools is no where near the £15,000 plus per annum that you pay for the average private day school for 13 plus education in the UK.
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Steve,
Vic College and JCG are accountable to the Education Department. The staff are employees of the education department and the school and its teachers have to abide by SOJ Education policy and criteria.
DLS, Beaulieu, St Michael’s and St George’s do not have to answer to the education depatment and can teach, employ and run the school as they please. If they wanted to add ‘lettuce washing’ to the curriculum and leave out English and Maths, they could, (although I doubt very much the parents would be best pleased if this were to be introduced).
Therefore we are talkiing about fee paying states schools and private (whether you like it or not) schools.
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