Who pays for Church schools’ expenses?

The economic challenges Church schools are facing have led most of them to ask for a higher “voluntary donation” from parents to help them cope with utility bills and technological advances. This situation points to a reality that needs to be addressed.

On November 28, 1991, the Church and the state had signed an agreement on the transfer to the state of immovable property that was not required by the Church for pastoral purposes. The deal also covered the running of Church schools, which are obliged to provide tuition free of charge.

Free tuition became possible because teaching and non-teaching staff salaries started to be provided for jointly by both the Church and the state. The Church is bound to use for this purpose part of its income accruing from the transfer of property to the state, that is about €1,165,000 annually. The Church is also responsible for the administration and maintenance costs of its schools, including repairs to buildings, ground rents, extracurricular activities, ICT and laboratory equipment, sports facilities and library books.

Some Church schools also have to pay interests on loans used for the development of educational facilities. Others must handle the redemption of capital debts on building projects and/or on school equipment.

On its part, along with its yearly subvention for Church schools’ salaries, which have reached the €43.2 million mark, the government also subsidises 10 per cent over and above staff costs to help cover any other expenses. It is therefore very unlikely that the state will pump more money into Church schools.

To raise the remaining necessary funds, the 1991 agreement authorises the Church to seek donations from parents and others, have an annual collection and tap any other source of income.

The main source for schools to be able to meet their extra requirements has always been the donations by parents. In fact, the parents’ financial support appears indispensable.

Parents have always been in the forefront with voluntary generous help in support of the Church schools they choose for their children. The suggested voluntary donations continue to grow and in certain cases they run into hundreds of euros a year.

The schools argue that the donation is not a fee and that families are free to give as much as they can afford. Also, most schools say parents facing financial difficulties are told to “forget about the donation”. Yet, many parents view the “voluntary” donation expected from them as an indirect obligation to fork out money, even if this means many sacrifices for them.

The financial situation of the Archdiocese of Malta, as explained in the latest published financial statements, does not raise much hope regarding the possibility that the Church will be able to increase its own contribution. Moreover, expecting a more generous contribution through the annual collection in churches would be unrealistic.

In the circumstances, the Church and the state must put their heads together to seek a logical and effective permanent solution, even if this means revisiting the 1991 agreement.

Continuing to rely on the parents’ financial support in the form of “voluntary” donations does not appear to make sense any more, if it ever did.

We cannot continue fooling ourselves. If no other workable alternative exists, parental contributions must be identified by a down-to-earth permanent agreed status: for instance, a “maintenance fee” from those parents whose financial situation permits.

A spade has to be called a spade.