Letters

Private schools and rising fees

‘Ethics, morality and fairness’

Tue Dec 19 2023 - 00:55

Sir, – In justifying continued subsidies to private fee-paying schools (“Why fees for Ireland’s most prestigious private schools are on the rise”, December 16th), Barbara Ennis, principal of Alexandra College, says parents who choose these schools do it because they “want the best for their children”.

It will take some time, I am sure, for me and the many hundreds of thousands of parents of public school students to come to terms with the realisation that we do not want what is best for our children. – Yours, etc,

DECLAN JORDAN,

Ballinlough,

READ SOME MORE

Cork.

Sir, – I refer to your article about private school fees. Barbara Ennis, principal of Alexandra College, refers to “ethics, morality and fairness”. How can the funding of private schools with public money ever be ethical, moral or fair?

Private education is used to transfer social capital and advantage from one generation to another. It is a product which is sold at a high cost to a small and privileged cohort. There is no doubt that private schools are very successful at achieving high transfer rates to third level.

However, if we were really interested in ethics, morality and fairness, the public educational system would be adequately funded to achieve the very same outcome. – Yours, etc,

DARREN HUGHES,

Naas,

Co Kildare.

A Chara, – The principal of Alexandra College suggests that fee-paying schools not receiving some State grants is “about ethics, morality and fairness for taxpaying parents who are simply making a choice”. I could not agree more.

But it is the fact that fee-paying schools are happy to accept taxpayers’ money while opening their doors only to those taxpayers who can afford to pay fees, which are in the thousands each year, that raises those questions.

This is not a choice that the vast majority of taxpayers can make. In the interests of ethics, morality and fairness for all taxpayers, either charge fees and receive nothing from the State or remove fees and provide education for all. That would be moral and fair. – Le meas,

CARMEL De GRAE,

Fionnbhrú,

Baile Átha Cliath 9.

Sir, – You report that “The cost of sending a child to a fee-charging school has risen by up to 17 per cent this year amid criticism from principals over the ‘exclusion’ of the private sector from a growing number of State grants.”

Perhaps the schools in question are, at best, wrong in blaming their exclusion from State grants for increasing their fees or, at worst, simply price gouging?

For example, excluding private schools from the free school books or solar panel initiatives does not increase their operating costs. So why blame them for increasing fees? Inflation is perhaps a better culprit but it has not reached 17 per cent. Which therefore leaves the schools open to the criticism that they are increasing their fees beyond what is fair. – Yours, etc,

SEAN KEAVNEY,

Castleknock,

Dublin 15.

A chara, – I just about understand the arguments being made by the principals quoted to justify their fees. However, the principals fail to make the key (and critical) argument that private schools are significantly cheaper than preschool childcare in this country so it’s a relatively cheap decision for parents to send their darlings to such schools hoping for a small advantage in the points race. –

Mise le meas,

DAN BARRY,

Glasnevin,

Dublin 9.