Education should be a private good

[StaffAssociationRepresentative]

Given the high levels of dissatisfaction with regards education should we not now make it a private good? The government should only provide education for free for those who are below the poverty level and then provide a sliding scale of support in a manner similar to child support. This will then give some schools the chance to charge more to ensure that any provision can be properly funded.

This will lead to happier schools, happier staff, happier pupils and a happier Mumsnet. Parents will therefore be free to buy provision that they want.

YABU - let education continue as it is
YANBU - fully privatise and let parents decide

Are you Betsy DeVos?

Sorry not a billionaire and nowhere near being a millionaire

@firstmentat I think an important issue with introducing a tiered system of schools is, that the one which is entirely free will be heavily looked down on. When I was at school, if you had smart price in your lunch box, you were poor and riddled with lice etc, considering I went to a school in a poor area, I imagine it’s worse at others. Tesco’s changed their value range to their own brand names, because people don’t stick their nose up at it if it’s branded. It’ll be a similar system with schools. Children will suffer bad esteem being at the cheap schools, can’t even afford a few hundred a month etc. Employers will look down on them, because they went too a ‘smart price’ school.It’ll really create a very negative few of schools fully funded by the state. I think school hours need to be reduced, everyone is eligible for say 15 hours no matter what. Children will be in smaller classes as not everyone will be in on the same day. Parents can pay, or use childcare vouchers, like nursery, for more days/hours.

So schools become more businesslike
The last thing I want is for schools to be "businesslike"

Sorry to be rude but - ridiculous. Unless of course your aim is increase social inequality which will have as happy companions, poorer mental health, higher crime and a range of other negative bedfellows. Countries with less social inequality are generally happier. YABU

Ha ha. I love seeing people clinging to their neoliberal dreams.

I will probably be shot down in flames for this, but I always thought that state education was for people who couldn't afford or didn't want to pay for their children to go to school.
And yes, I am well aware of the 1944 Education Act.

This is one if the worst ideas I've ever read.

Oh, I didn't realise that parents send their children to private school for the good of poorer people. Totally selfless. Deserve a medal.

Fraughtwithgin ( great name) that's also one of the bonkers things I've ever read. Am I tripping?

Bubbletrouble43 - I am 61, all my family, for several generations, was privately educated.

They don’t deserve a medal - but it is selfless.

Just like private healthcare is selfless.

We send our children to private school because it's better than our local comp, we also pay a shit load of tax, I'd love the government to give me 5k towards each of my children's schooling, it'd save us 15k a year. So a stupid unworkable option really.

Tax those who can afford it more.

You’ll get your wish and it won’t be just those who can afford it.
Taxes will shoot up for everyone as Corona virus will bankrupt the country.

Plenty of private options for those unhappy with state education xx

@FraughtwithGin genuinely interested to know what proportion of people you think go to fee-paying school. Without googling obvs.

• I will probably be shot down in flames for this, but I always thought that state education was for people who couldn't afford or didn't want to pay for their children to go to school. And yes, I am well aware of the 1944 Education Act.*

Meanwhile, back in the real world.

I love how people think that buying a service like health or education somehow makes it better for everyone else. It's like arguing that having first class on a plane or train makes economy more luxurious/spacious. Hilarious how the 'selfless' rich justify their choices. 'We're only getting a better experience so that you poor people get one too' they wail

I haven’t Googled for a few years - but last time I did it was 7%. Wouldn’t be shocked if that had increased slightly.

But optical illusion it is selfless.

Let’s say 10,000 people need a hip replacement. It 1000 pay for it privately it means the remaining 9000 get it quicker. That’s obvious no?

YABU. Granted the current system isn’t perfect. How could it be? That’s no reason to burn it to the ground so that social inequality can be exacerbated, standards of education lowered and a few rich bastards make some money.

emz another outcome might be that funding for hip operations is cut because they are only doing 9000 instead of 10,000

I am a council estate kid

Oh God, social climber, nouveaus are the worst for snobbery.

So people have to wait just as long. Possibly for the same surgeon. It’s not necessarily bad but it’s not a logical outcome that some people paying makes things better for those who aren’t - not at all.