Realist, not conformist analysis of the latest financial, business and political news

Worth Observing The Ghastly Mess Government Makes Running Things – Like Education

A reasonable little pencil sketch of the education system in Britain is that everyone gets taxed so that the government has a monopoly on the education of 93% of us. The other 7% is over in the private sector. Note that those who pay for such private education pay again, they’ve already paid the tax for that free education, decided they thought that free was worth what it is priced at and no, they don’t get their money back nor any subsidy.

It is not generally thought nor believed that the government education system produces better results than the private. And here we’ve got proof.

That government education system – you know, the system some people think should be running the trains, the economy, our lives – cannot teach people to swim even while they have them 40 hours a week, 9 months a year for 13 years. Learning to swim being something that really only takes 5 minutes. Deep end, thrown in, those who get out again can swim, those who don’t have just alleviated the taxpayers of a burden.

Now, of course, it could be that the private schools aren’t teaching them to swim either. But if that’s the case then why this?

Private schools told to open their swimming pools to state pupils
Move reflects fears for half of British children unable to swim 25 metres by the age of 11

Another part of that government system – you know, the people who swallow 40% of everything every year – called the local authorities provides swimming pools in absolutely every area of the country. So, we’ve a government education system unable to teach kids to swim, a government swimming pool system unable to provide places to swim in, otherwise this coopting of private facilities, and what else is it that we need to know about government systems? Especially when the very insistence here is that that private market, unaided, manages to do both?

Private schools must let state school pupils use their swimming pools, says government

We’ve often had governments which are a bit hazy on this concept of private property. It’s tended not to be the Tory ones though. Which is one thing we can see has changed in recent years. Private peeps have, on private property, built private buildings for private uses. Those aren’t things that the government nor some minister of one should have the right to appropriate. And that it is a nominally Conservative (for it ain’t conservative) one announces that it will rather stinks.

NEARLY half of pupils left primary school unable to swim, official figures reveal.

Ministers admit they have failed to ensure all youngsters are taught a life skill which helps develop fitness and keeps them safe.

OK, is perhaps we’re not talking about people who have suffered the full 13 years but only those who have been inside for 6. Still long enough to teach them to swim. Obviously, for the claim is, again, that the private sector manages to do so and also to provide the facilities within which to do. Government run things not so much.

It is true that an outside observer might think the British education system more than a little odd. Why, after a century of free at the point of use, taxpayer funded, education is there still this 7% rump of people paying all over again? That might be one wonder, but it wouldn’t be the thing which would amaze. That, that stupor mundi, would be why is that government system so terrible, the very thing proven by the results coming from that private sector?

Hey, you know, maybe it’s a result of government running things? Therefore we shouldn’t be asking them to run more things?

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Hector Drummond
5 years ago

We failed in our job to teach kids to swim. Therefore it’s the fault of the private schools.

Bloke on M4
Bloke on M4
5 years ago

The problem is that it doesn’t work at school. You’ve got a class of 15-20 kids and learning to swim is more intense than that. You need less than 4 to 1.

And really, it’s parents and brothers who always did this job. I’d love to see the breakdown of the people who haven’t learnt to swim. I bet there’s a lot of single parents in there.

Quentin Vole
Quentin Vole
5 years ago
Reply to  Bloke on M4

When I was going through the (state) education system 50 years ago, we got swimming lessons at the local (municipal) baths in both primary and secondary school.

GR8M8S
GR8M8S
5 years ago

That 7% do get a government subsidy via the private schools charitable tax status and no VAT. But the overall point of paying twice-ish is certainly valid and could be equally applied to those who have BUPA.

Moosealot
Moosealot
5 years ago
Reply to  GR8M8S

Big confusion about what a tax is and what a subsidy is. If money is going to the government then it is a tax; if the government is handing out money then it is a subsidy. The charitable tax status and VAT exemptions involve a reduction in tax paid, not a net receipt of exchequer funds. On the other hoof, the “bedroom tax” is not a tax, merely less-of-a-subsidy.

john77
john77
5 years ago
Reply to  GR8M8S

What Moosealot said PLUS the charity tax exemption only exempts them from tax on profits (if they make any, which most do not – which is why they keep asking alumni for donations). There is no subsidy that reduces *costs*.

Hallowed Be
Hallowed Be
5 years ago

“and keeps them safe.” – i thought you’re more likely to drown if you can swim than if you can’t.

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