Parents 'penalised' for choosing fee-paying schools [IrishTimes]
- Published: 04 January 2012
PARENTS WHO send their children to fee-paying schools are being “penalised’’ for their commitment to their children’s education, a school principal said yesterday.
Ken Whyte, principal of Presentation College, Mardyke, Cork, said parents who decided to commit after-tax income to their child’s education instead of spending it on something else were the focus of unfair criticism.
His comments came as Department of Education officials begin an audit into how fee-paying schools spend the estimated €120 million they receive in gross fee income.
The audit has been ordered by Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn amid concern among Labour grassroots about the additional €100 million in State subsidy received by the sector to pay teacher salaries.
The Teachers’ Union of Ireland has welcomed the inquiry into what it termed “this huge subvention of privilege”.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
