On the educational merits of student financial vouchers

It was refreshing to open the year with a post from Moshe Feiglin (an Israeli parliamentarian) writing the following within a post titled ‘Moshe Feiglin: Instead of Censoring Books, Let Parents Take Responsibility‘:

“Give the money (that you took from Israel’s citizens) to the parents in the form of vouchers worth 4,000 NIS per month per student,” Feiglin proposed.” Let talented teachers compete for those vouchers and earn 35,000 NIS per month for teaching a classroom of ten students. Let ‘boutique’ schools spring up in every corner and compete for the parents’ vouchers (like today’s hospital maternity wards, which are constantly upgrading and competing for ‘business’).”

Feiglin said that parents who want Rabinain should get Rabinian. Those who prefer Uri Tzvi Greenberg should get him. “Languages, math, science, music and Judaism, of course. All as per parental preference,” he added.

“Return the responsibility (and the money) to the parents and get real education for Israeli children,” Feiglin concluded.

There are of course numerous reasons that a voucher system to fund school education is of benefit – but even more important than any funding model is the need to augment educational freedom and diversity, away from the asphyxiation of government and bureaucracy tethering. Unfortunately for Australia, the opposite strangle-holding is being increasingly tightened and applauded.