As I have worked in the disability sector for the vast majority of my working career, whether this is in a not-for-profit organisation or where there has been very little government financial support, the user pays philosophy has always been around. Although I never questioned this philosophy to management, as it was how they ran their business, I did not always feel that, to be able to provide a service within this specific industry, the person accessing it had to pay for every aspect of it, because you are dealing with people who are vulnerable and rely on your support. However being on the opposite side where you own your business, users have to pay; otherwise it would cost you in the end if you were to regularly provide products and services for free. Then the expectations of those receiving this becomes, that you will do this for them all the time, and they become upset when you don’t. As with education, learning is no longer free, for Tertiary studies and higher qualifications you pay for the study fees, your text books, and exam and administration costs. In primary through to high school you pay the same, if you don’t pay the “donation fee” your children got penalised elsewhere in their learning, I feel that education has become more about the money and less about the learning, yes on one hand you are being taught, experiencing new knowledge and trying to grow and better yourself, yet on the other hand, you are paying for a service that sometimes is not worth the money you are paying out. Unfortunately user pays is a normal part of life, “if you want something you pay for it” we don’t question this because this is what we are indirectly taught and we accept that this is part of everyday life, however we don’t have to like it, but this is how things are in this country. I don’t necessarily know or believe there is another way or a better way to operate, because one way or another we will always pay in the end.
Dat
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