There has been a rising trend in the tendency of families to opt for private schooling with regard to their children as opposed to education supported by the government. This has led some to suggest that families opting for privately-funded education should be absolved of their duty to pay tax for state education. However, I disagree with this statement and will be explaining my reasons as to why I think so.
Firstly, it must be mentioned that the policy of state-funded education was introduced with the notion of making education accessible to all. However, families who decide on privately educating their children do not avail of state-sponsored educational facilities of their own accord and willingly shoulder the high costs of private schooling. From a financial perspective, such people are reasonably affluent and would rank among the upper echelons of taxpayers. Further, without their significant contributions, the government would struggle to manage public education and as a result, the state-sponsored schools would suffer.
Paying taxes is the collective responsibility of every citizen, and making exceptions would have an adverse impact on the numerous public services provided by the government. Moreover, maintaining different taxes based on whether people send their children to private or public schools would create confusion and cause outrage among the general public. Lastly, paying taxes and investing in education ensures a bright future for the country and contributes to long-term economic prosperity, which would be favourable for the population as a whole.
However, the opposing argument to the points mentioned earlier would be that some families opting for private education might view paying taxes for a service they do not utilise to be a financial encumbrance. Secondly, the abject conditions of many government schools and other state-funded facilities have convinced some people that their taxes would be misused in the hands of the authorities.
To sum up, I would strongly recommend that all families should pay taxes regardless of whether they send their children to a private school or a state-funded one. Education is a universal right, and everyone should do their bit to make it accessible and affordable, which would allow the country to continue prospering.