State funding for private schools? A perspective from South Africa

Shaun Franklin – Equal Education Law Centre

Doron Isaacs – Equal Education(@doronisaacs)

@eelawcentre

@equal_education

Private schools in South Africa

Learners in private

schools in South Africa

SA Constitution – Section 29…(3) Everyone has the right to establish and maintain, at their own expense, independent educational institutions that

a. do not discriminate on the basis of race;b. are registered with the state; andc. maintain standards that are not inferior to standards at comparable public educational institutions.

(4) Subsection (3) does not preclude state subsidies for independent educational institutions.

What is a private school?

• Public schools– Some charge fees, some don’t– Some on public land, some on private land– Each governed by School Governing Bodies, some who

can spend govt funds, some cannot– Some teachers employed by state, some not

• Private schools– Some receive government subs, some don’t– Some for profit, some not– Teachers not employed by the state

A public school in Cape Town

A public school in the Eastern Cape

A private school in KwaZulu-Natal

Private schools in Johannesburg

% of public schools not charging fees

Income from fees (public & private)

A private schooling company: Curro

Ethos of Curro Schools

*Source: Curro pre-listing statement

Ethos of Curro Schools

*Source: Curro website

Curro’s self-justification

Growth in Curro Schools

• "We currently have 12,500 children in 22 schools. We are adding another five. The new schools will add 3,500 pupils. Before the end of the year or by January 2013 we will have 16,000 learners," said Curro CEO Chris van der Merwe.

• "By 2015-16 we are hoping for 40 schools. Our ultimate target is … for 80 schools by 2022. I think 80 schools will give us 80,000-90,000 learners," Dr van der Merwe said.

Directors of Curro Schools

*Source: Curro pre-listing statement

CEO of Curro: Dr vd Merwe

• Remuneration in 2010: R908,000• Owns 2,929,510 shares which is 3.63%• Current shareprice of Curro approx R18• Therefore his shares worth R52 731 180

Questions

• Is it good public policy to be encouraging the public funding of private schools? What is the trajectory of this approach? Where does this policy lead?

• Is it our view that the public schooling system cannot and will not be able to provide a quality education, and therefore some reliance upon so-called 'low-cost private schools' is necessary?

• What is the overall social impact, in the short, medium and long term of a policy to secure or increase state support for private education? To what extent will these public subsidies by necessity reduce available state support for public education?

Answers• Private schools draw families from significantly or slightly

more affluent families out of public schools. Even a small fee will do this. This leads to:– Parents who might have professional or other skills are not available for

SGBs in public schools. – Students in public schools do not get the academic benefit of being in

classes with slightly more affluent learners. – Society is stratified and public schools lose their role as places where

social cohesion is built. – Teachers may be drawn out of public schools. (Their training was

subsidised, if not paid for, by the state.)– At present we have public schools that charge fees, so when students

move from these to private schools the public school system also loses that fee income.