The Pigeonhole

By the Winged Avenger

It's not unusual for people who have been out of schools for 25 years (and more) to whinge about declining education standards.  Before they get too carried away with knocking 21^st century schools, perhaps they should take some time to think about their education system - the one that left them unable to tell the difference between a donation and a fee; between an act of choice and one of compulsion. 

For now, though, let's try and keep it simple, at least for the sake of the less well educated amongst us; and, to be fair to our teachers of yesteryear, for those who seem to have forgotten much of what they were so painstakingly taught.

Fees:

You have to pay fees.  They are compulsory.  State schools can only charge fees for things like cooking ingredients in food tech (the results of which can be taken home), subsidised music tuition (and instrument hire), and things like that.

Independent (private) schools can charge whatever they like to whomever they like.  Good bye and good luck if you fail to pay.

State integrated schools (including the now infamous Rathkeale, all the catholic schools, and a whole other bunch of ‘special character' schools) may charge fees for upkeep of buildings (which are not provided by the state).  That's it.  Anything else is a donation: see below.

Donations:

These are the things that you choose to give - like birthday presents, old clothes for charities; financial contributions to save the whales, cure cancer, etc.  We give because we want to make the world a better place, we give from the goodness of our hearts, because we can afford to (some of us can't) and because we think that it's the right thing to do.  But we decide; and we do not have to.

State schools and state integrated schools are allowed to ASK families for a DONATION towards the cost of running the school.  Typically, schools use donations to improve ICT provision, improve the school environment, and for the kinds of things that we hope will enhance kids' learning experiences.  If they're lucky, state schools may accrue sufficient funds to employ the odd extra support staff, or even a trained teacher or two. Yeah right.

The cost of learning:

As we know, learning does not come cheap.  One way or another, there's always a price to pay.  Rathkeale's board (one can only hope) is currently learning through bitter experience. 

We have learned, also through bitter experience, that the government does not really fund state (or state integrated schools) especially well.  In fact, a number of us spend considerable hours of our busy lives arguing and wasting valuable ink, probably pointlessly, to persuade the government to lift its game around sustainable and adequate funding streams for schools.  Still, I digress...

The bottom line - and today's message - is that even while lobbying for change, we have to work with what we've got.  And what we've got is a system that says a donation is like a gift - it's not compulsory and you cannot make it so. Not even by whining.

Finally, a wee bouquet to John Greenwood, who's asked for the government to bring in "compulsory donations."  John, you oxymoron, this one is for you!