[Greens-Media] Cash-starved public schools forced into private care operator contracts

[John Kaye]

Cash-starved public schools forced into private care operator contracts

Media release: 5 July 2014

Public school parents facing rising after-hours care costs are paying the
price of a hidden wave of Baird government privatisation, according to
Greens NSW MP John Kaye.

('Principals cash in on after-school care', Sydney Morning Herald, 5 July
2014, http://j.mp/smhOOSH140705)

Dr Kaye said: "Public school principals facing woefully inadequate budgets
are turning to private after-hours care operators to pay big licence fees.

"Parents lose twice over.

"They are confronted with fees that cover not only the cost of the licence
paid to the school but also the operator's profits.

"Corporate child care has no place in public schools.

"This is an early glimpse of the consequences of Education Minister Adrian
Piccoli's 'Local Schools, Local Decisions' autonomy agenda.

"As governments take less responsibility for the quality of education in
public schools, principals are forced to find other ways to raise cash.

"Inevitably parents end up paying.

"This is privatisation by stealth.

"Tendering out the school care contract will always result in higher fees
as the corporate operators move in and reap massive profits.

"The Minister has placed principals in the impossible position of either
rejecting the highest bid or forcing parents to pay much more for the
before and after school care of their children," Dr Kaye said.

For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455

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John Kaye
Greens NSW MP
phone: 0407 195 455
web: www.john.nsw.greens.org.au
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