The TES today (9 October) reports that the taxpayer is picking up costs for faith school refurbishments that should be met by religious groups.

By law, the religious foundations of voluntary aided schools should be contributing 10% to the cost of building work, but new figures show that they actually cover just 7.5%, with the £18.4 million shortfall being met by the taxpayer.

Campaigners from the Accord Coalition also argue that when compared to the total costs of education, the financial contribution from religious groups is insignificant. The £56 million given by the religious foundations of faith schools in 2008/9 is equivalent to just 0.15% of the total schools budget, even when pensions are excluded.

Accord Coalition Chair, Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain said:

“Perhaps the government has recognised the financial reality that religious groups can no longer afford to pay as much as they once did, but not the social reality that religious discrimination is unacceptable in the 21st century. Taxpayer funded public services should be for the public, not one segment of it. It is vital for the long-term health of society that children of different traditions grow up together and learn to interact on a daily basis.”

Andrew Copson, Director of Education and Public Affairs for the British Humanist Association said:

“The requirement for a contribution to capital costs from the religious foundations of voluntary aided schools dates back to the 1944 Education Act. But given that capital funding from religious groups has fallen from 50% in 1944 to just 7.5% today, it is high time that the government legislates to stop religious discrimination in schools”.

Simon Barrow, Co-Director of thinktank Ekklesia commented:

“We have long argued that the legal and funding arrangements that give particular advantages to faith schools and limit the choice and freedom of belief of parents and children need to be changed – not just on general grounds of fairness, but because they contradict the claims of justice, equality and compassion which the religions themselves lay claim to. The latest TES findings are another example of the need for reform.”