Fiscal and regulatory state policy for private schools in South Africa : (a policy options analysis)

Gotkin, Ronald

Fiscal and regulatory state policy for private schools in South Africa : (a policy options analysis)

Master Thesis

1993

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

School of Education

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Abstract

This paper explores possible future policy options for a democratically elected South African government as regards private schools. The paper establishes the context of contemporary and historical state policy for private schools in South Africa in combination with a comparative international perspective, a summary of arguments in the literature for and against private schools, and principles identified by a recent (non-governmental) policy investigation into education in South Africa (NEPI) as encapsulating the demands of the democratic movement concerning education. These principles therefore serve as evaluative criteria for the examination of future fiscal and regulatory policy for private schools in South Africa. It will be shown that, as compared to many countries, private schools in South Africa are moderately regulated and receive only moderate financial assistance. However, the historical (and current social and political) context of state policy for private schools will be shown to be one of increasing state support since the early 1980s. It will be argued that this increased level of ideological and fiscal support for private schools in the past decade is a consequence of the government's reformist strategy, and its identification with the politics of 'New Right' parties, which dominated Britain and the USA in particular during the 1980s. It will also be demonstrated that changes in state policy have resulted in large-scale growth in the private schooling sector over the past decade. It is against this background that the lens of democratic principles and fiscal implications will be used to focus on possible future policies for private schooling in South Africa.

Description

Includes bibliographies.

Keywords

Educational Planning, Administration, and Social Policy

Private schools - Government policy - Finance

Reference:

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