Public education is supposed to be free. Public schools have the great opportunity make efforts to equalize the education of all children, whether their parents are lower-income or higher-income, so that wealth does not determine the quality or extent of the education that a child receives. The school fees permitted by the current regulations remove this opportunity, exacerbating the difference between wealthy and impoverished students by denying educational opportunities to students who cannot afford them.

While the mandatory school fees for general education are clearly problematic, fees for non-mandatory activities offered by the school are also incredibly limiting. I encourage you to think about the significant role that sports, art, field trips and other non-mandatory activities play in the development of children and youth.  

I ask that you please reconsider the current regulations on school fees to ensure that all children are permitted an equal opportunity to have the same educational experience regardless of what their families can afford. Please ensure that public education is truly free.