Contributions to Parents' Foundation for Education

An item on San Anton School appeared in the Consumer Affairs Column of September 11. It is understood that the author of the column is perfectly aware of the fact that the refunding of contributions is not within the jurisdiction of San Anton School, but within that of the Parents' Foundation for Education, and that these entities are distinct and separate. This has been explained, by the undersigned personally, on other occasions, and yet, for reasons that are best known to the columnist, his article gives the impression that the school has failed in any of its duties with respect to any parent.

Although the San Anton School Board, for the same reason, is not aware of the letters regarding the case referred to, it protests at the incorrect approach adopted by the Consumer Affairs Column. Incidentally, we are informed that the PFE Registrar did answer the letter that was sent by this particular parent and copied to the column in December 2004, and that all the reminders that the columnist claims to have sent were nothing more than photocopies of a letter that had already been answered.

All the necessary explanations were given in this reply, and the parent was invited to contact the Registrar if further clarifications were required. Nevertheless I feel it is necessary, as chairman of the San Anton School Board, to reiterate the situation regarding contribution refunds.

The Parents' Foundation for Education was set up in 1988 by a group of parents who were, at the time, worried about the state of education in general, and of private education in particular.

In response to that difficult situation, the foundation embarked on an ambitious and brave enterprise to set up new schools, based on novel and fundamental principles, such as that education should be for mixed-ability children; that it would have mixed-gender schools; that its schools would provide continuous education, free of entrance exams, from kindergarten to school-leaving age; and, most importantly, that its schools would not make any profit out of the children's education.

The foundation had no resources of its own, but it had, and continues to have, parents who were prepared to give time and skills to set up, first, San Anton School, and subsequently San Andrea School. The foundation had no funds bequeathed by a rich benefactor, and had no government assistance, or other capital resources. It was determined to create an innovative model for education, which eventually turned out to be so successful that it is now copied by other private schools, as well as by state schools.

In order to build the physical fabric required for the schools, the PFE devised a system whereby parents wishing to register their children with the foundation would pay a contribution of Lm500 (later increased to Lm600), which would be refunded some time in the future, when (i) the capital development of the respective school was completed, (ii) all outstanding capital loans were paid up, and (iii) always strictly in accordance with the rules and regulations that underpinned the foundation, and (iv) at a rhythm that depended on new contributions.

This was the only system that could be devised that could guarantee the required investment, and do so in a fair and transparent way. All rules and regulations were always approved at general meetings of parents, and all contributions rules, including for their refunds, were published and made known to all parents registering with the PFE. There are no hidden rules, and no surprises.

The foundation has delivered what it promised. San Anton, the pioneering school, and subsequently San Andrea, are now two foremost private schools on the island. San Anton, as the first school, has also completed its original capital programme, and has paid up its bank loans. The PFE has therefore started the refund of contributions, in accordance with the rules in the statute, and as approved by parents' general meetings.

A list of the sequence by which such refunds shall be carried out has been published, and the refunding process has started to be implemented. The sequence approved by the parents will be strictly respected. It does not make it fair for any parent to come forward, claiming special circumstances, and ask to jump the queue. This is clearly not fair to other parents.

Of course, this does not mean that San Anton School does not need to continue to invest into its facilities - in fact it continues to invest by using funds raised from benefactors and parents. Indeed, it can only turn to its parents for further generous support. We believe that, in the current circumstances, where there is no state support to allow real free choices in education, many parents understand the need for additional investment in their children's education.

It is, of course, frustrating to come across a minority of parents who, for reasons that they obviously perceive as very specific, insist on receiving a refund of the contribution, before their turn, in violation of the rules that are clearly entrenched in the statutes of the foundation. It is even more galling that the Customer Affairs Column, to which all of this has been explained before, continues to present cases, as if San Anton School were doing something wrong and unfair. The opposite is the truth.

San Anton has delivered, and continues to deliver, top quality education to the children who are registered by their parents with the foundation. It has completed its first stage of capital investment, and has paid up the very substantial loans required to make this investment. Of course, as expected, this has taken a long time. It will also continue to invest in its facilities, at a rate commensurate with its resources (the parents!), and will continue to pass on to the foundation those funds that are required to refund the contributions - but strictly in accordance with the PFE's statutes. It would be failing in its duties to other parents if it did not act in this way.