The NSW Government is going to cut-back on free travel for NSW school students. What fascinates me is this line:
Half of the state’s public school students and three-quarters of the private school students are understood to use the scheme which accounts for 4 per cent of the education budget.
Why are more private school students getting it? Because they are travelling further to get to their chosen school. So, if the Government’s cut-back is based on distance, these students will still get the free travel. In the end, a reform could simply take money away from “struggling families” who are sending their kids to a public school cause they aren’t travelling far enough, but will still give money to families that may be struggling, but through choice (the choice to have a McMansion, McMortgage, McMiddle-Class lifestyle).
My take – if you choose to seek an education away from a local school, you pay for the extra travel. Or better still, each and every child is given the same basic amount of financial support towards their education.
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- Tim Haynes ·
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- Sunday 2 November, 2008 at 11:31 PM
Good point Simon, I think if the govt wants to cut back they should get out of it entirely. Once they say they will make it about distance then it will end messy. Either pay for all or pay for none.