More subsidies for Church schools raise eyebrows in private sector

The new agreement builds on the Guidelines to Church Schools’ Entitlement of Resources, which came into force 10 years ago. It provides for a minimum of eight school counsellors and four social workers in all church schools, with the cost being borne exclusively by the State.

If counsellors and social workers at government schools are increased, Church schools will be entitled to claim in excess of the minimum established numbers, according to the prevailing ratio of government school students to Church school students.

The Church Secretariat for Catholic Education shall also be entitled to procure the services of psychologists on the basis of this same pro rata parity, rather than engage such professionals on a full-time basis.

Fr Dominic Scerri, who heads the secretariat, welcomed the announcement of additional State aid, claiming that the agreement will help Church schools to cope with the new realities imposed by the recent reforms in secondary education: namely the abolition of common entrance exams.

But news of further State subsidy to only one sector of the private education market has also caused concern among other stakeholders: following as it does in the wake of a report, commissioned the Independent Schools’ Association and drawn up by PricewaterhouseCoopers, which had forecast potential losses of €1.6 million per year by 2013.

ISA President Bernie Mizzi yesterday expressed satisfaction that government was taking a pro-active role in improving educational facilities across the island.

“We’re very happy that the government is investing more money in education. But our concern is that, if government intends to develop a new educational landscape, it cannot afford to focus only on two out of three sectors. It needs to look at all three sectors, especially if it wants to retain the principle of choice in education.”

As a result of the 1991 Vatican concordat, Church schools currently benefit from State funding amounting to roughly €40 million a year, in return for the devolution of Church-owned property to the State. This subsidy covers 100% of teachers’ salaries.

More recently still, the Education Ministry also undertook to invest €20 million to create an additional 2,000 places in a number of new Church schools to be built over the next decade: including three new primary schools. The new schools will also benefit from a 15% VAT refund.

While independent schools receive no State subsidies and are party to no such agreements, Mizzi nonetheless maintains that government has a moral obligation to acknowledge that the sector is giving a valuable service to the country.

The ISA report had in fact recommended a system of tax credits or vouchers for parents of children in independent private schools.

Mizzi also confirmed that the association is currently involved in discussions with the Education Ministry over these and other issues. The next meeting has been scheduled for September.

“Our position is that a national strategy for education should cater for all sectors,” Mizzi said yesterday. “So far, the ministry seems to be listening. We shall see.”