Free Trade in Education

Education money, if $35.9 billion is being spent in USA, the point is minimum 3.59 billion being grafted off to the politically connected for their cut.  So what if 32 bil is wasted, as long as we get our 3.59. He who pays the piper calls the tune, and what sails down this info superhighway will be branded "status quo."    In USA we call it capitalism, or more specifically and universal, crony capitalism.

The best part is he who calls the tune actually mulcts the pay from the target population, not unlike when communists billed the family for the bullet that executed the malcontent.

Again, Australia may be different, because USA is second to none in election fraud.  When we vote for change we get even more of the same.  Good and hard.

In USA education costs too much because it is heavily subsidized.  Costs can go up and up, because no one can compete against a subsidy.  "Private" schools compete, by charging more than the government, and using the government to back govt-guaranteed loans to "students" that are neither repayable nor bankruptable. There is a way out, just as in a bad mortgage in USA: join the military.  (Eliminate govt backing, then watch these people serve students or go away.)

Three Nobel Laureates in economics demonstrated the regulators are always captured by the regulated.  Look at heavily regulated Wall Street and its control over the USA govt.  We don't mind regulation of education, because we make money at it.  Just like Wall Street bankers don't mind "regulation" of banking.  It works for them.

Just as bankers do not turn on bankers, so teachers do not turn on teachers.  But someone has got to say it: we need free trade in education worldwide.  We need to get government completely out of education, so we can get more better cheaper faster. More options, better quality, cheaper costs, and better access. We need private associations providing QC, and and break the funding/accreditation cartel.  Accreditation is the Berlin Wall of education.

What does it look like?  Math teacher Sal Khan is making millions teaching math for free on the internet with his non-profit.  (Non-profit means he can spend money as he desires and directs on the really big things, tax-exempt.) Another I know, a Canadian is making scores of thousands charging to help the marginal who still need more help than Khan offers for free.  (HIs seed money, for the whiteboard software and youtube channel, he made as an Indian actor, voted the "Best Looking Man in India.")

Too few have too little access to education.  A separation of education and state would lead to lowering of cost and widening of access while ever improving student and instructor satisfaction.  Ask Khan.  It is what I am experiencing.