this post was submitted on 25 Mar 2026
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33
Why are public schools asking parents to pay fees? (theconversation.com)
submitted 2 days ago by arbilp3@aussie.zone to c/australia@aussie.zone
17 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Public schools ask parents to make voluntary contributions because they need the funds...

State governments have consistently not met their funding targets for public schools. On current timelines – and provided future governments deliver the funds – schools will not have their full funding entitlements until 2034.

This puts school principals in a very difficult situation. Their schools are not properly funded by the government and there are limits to their ability to seek additional funds from parents.

2034? Do they really want our public education to fall further behind? I don't understand how they can justify this.

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[–] shirro@aussie.zone 5 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Our public school fees have been reduced to almost nothing under South Australian Labor. And we get a sports voucher for the kids sports. None of it means tested. And low income families have school cards.

Unfortunately private schools are clearly still over funded and very influential in politics. I am sure they lobby heavily to keep public schooling slightly underfunded to push kids into their schools. Our premier is a Labor Right SDA Catholic bro so they aren't getting their public funding cut.

I don't mind making moderate voluntary contributions if they are being used for desirable but non-essential things. They are a trap if they are being used to fill a hole in state funding. Schools in poorer areas end up becoming highly disadvantaged.

[–] arbilp3@aussie.zone 3 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

We need to remind other Labor premiers in Oz that making public education funded properly as in SA can be done and we need public education workers and parents to get loud.

[–] shirro@aussie.zone 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Oh, I wish public education in SA was funded properly. The costs to parents are good but schools often get shafted. Particlarly capital works like new buildings. The difference between a rural public school and one of the favoured city schools or a private school are still huge. They probably do what they can with the revenues they have but there is a lot of federal money going to private schools that could be redirected to state public schools where it would make a huge difference.