Public schools are being driven to use such methods to collect fees, as well as to drum up sources of private funding, because of the lack of government money to pay for basic running costs. Fees are needed to pay for everything from computers to urgent building maintenance. Those families who can afford it will send their children to private or better-off public schools while working class youth will increasingly be relegated to schools with few resources or facilities. Translated into computers, support staff, books and special materials, the difference is enormous. Moreover, if contributions become compulsory, then those parents who cannot afford to pay the higher fees will be forced to send their children to poorer schools.
Public education is also increasingly dependent on direct corporate sponsorship.
In return for funds, schools advertise the products, carry the company logos, modify their courses and even become sources of cheap labour. When the Victorian government and the McDonalds corporation first agreed to establish accredited courses for senior students, the proposal was generally considered to be outrageous. When enrolled in a BP scheme, a student will attend school for four days and work at a service station for the other day. The company will also expect the student to work the equivalent of one day over the weekend. While public education is starved of funds, government money is being boosted for private schools.