As a child of a single parent growing up in one of the most socio-economically deprived suburbs of Liverpool, thanks to a free education system and great teachers, I was able to get into Oxford University alongside superwealthy children who had had a privileged upbringing and private education. I was a walking example of the theory of renowned educationist Paulo Freire, that education sets you free, that education is freedom.
How idealistic of me.
The reality in New Zealand today is that education is not free.
Will I be using my experience to encourage my children into tertiary education?
No. In fact, unless they want to do a job which requires a degree like law or medicine, I will be actively dissuading them from going to university and saddling themselves with huge debts. Instead, I will be encouraging them to do the best learning they can at school and then to leave for an apprenticeship ... or marry someone rich.
I do not agree with Labour's proposed policy of free tertiary education. In my view it will just swamp the market with more people with non-prescriptive degrees who cannot get jobs.
Instead, I would prefer our taxes be diverted into better funding of our primary and secondary education systems so that they can be fairer to all.
New statistics have shown that for a child starting school in 2016, a state-provided "free" education will cost about $35,000. Parents of children born this year will pay about $37,000 by the time they finish school in 2033.
The figures, compiled from a survey of more than 1000 members of ASG Education Programmes, included fees, transport, uniforms, computers and sports trips associated with 13 years of schooling.
While my maths may not be strong enough to solve the fruit brain teaser, it is strong enough to realise that in 2016 parents are expected to pay for many things that were once free in schools, such as swimming lessons, music and sport and computers. Heck, there were even tissues on my children's stationery lists. I should feel lucky they provide toilet paper.
This is not the fault of schools or the hard-working teachers who are working in ever more difficult circumstance. If so much has to be passed on to parents it seems clear schools are underfunded.
Our current system just perpetuates the inequality of social and economic circumstances that a child is born into. That is not to say that parents should not be allowed to contribute extra where able - of course they should have this choice. But they should be voluntary extras and not positioned as essential funding. The fact that some parents can contribute a lot to schools should not mean that other schools are underfunded or some children miss out.
Here's a brain-teaser: Section three of the Education Act 1989 says "every person who is not an international student is entitled to free enrolment and free education at any state school" between the ages of 5 and 19. Investing in education would reap significant socio-economic benefits long term for individuals and our communities.
Education is not free. Here's the solution: Our schools need a better funding system that is fairer to all.
- Annemarie Quill is the magazines editor at Bay of Plenty Times.
- Roger Moroney is on leave.
