HomeWorks

The right to choose or the right to an education?

On Tuesday we had the opportunity to visit HomeWorks: a programme which works with home schooled children and their parents. It was very interesting to gain an insight into an alternative form of education that I knew little about, even in my home country. I was somewhat shocked by the high number of children being home schooled in a relatively small area because in England this is a somewhat unpopular choice. I have to admit that I did not agree with the state's laws that removed any power they have over the type, quality or amount of provision that a home schooled child is given. For me, there is a conflict between two fundamental rights: the right of a parent to choose the most appropriate education for their child and the child's right to an education.

In the cases where homeschooling is an educated choice by parents who are unsatisfied with the public education system, and they commit to providing a rich and valuable education for their children from home, I can respect their choice. The HomeWorks programme is a great example of where such parents bring their children to ensure that they are exposed to a variety of learning and social opportunities. However, as Sandra explained, some parents who remove their children from public education do not provide their children with sufficient, or sometimes any education. I believe that there should be some system for the government to intervene in order to ensure that these children do not slip through the cracks. This visit was an extremely interesting one, and it has highlighted an area which I feel I should have more knowledge of in my own country.