Like many parents, we scrutinized closely the educational options and opportunities available to our children. In the end we chose a local private school that promoted itself as a university preparatory school with a family atmosphere.

We knew the financial commitment would be considerable, but we were prepared to make sacrifices for an education for our children that we believed would be superior to that obtained in a public school

We were indeed immediately embraced as family, evident when the children’s grandmother (whom we had named as an emergency contact) received a solicitation for money along with a heart-tugging dissertation on the value of grandparents in a child’s life!

In addition to the tuition fees approaching $10,000 per student per year in the upper grades and hundreds of dollars in other upfront "incidentals" — parents are required to finance a $4,650 school bond for each child while they are attending the school.

Other optional but expected-to-incur charges include sports uniforms, donations to the annual appeal, donations to parent auxiliary fund-raisers, private tutors prior to exams.

We had not considered the closely intertwined dynamics of home, school and community, and this was perhaps the greatest disservice we did our children when we chose the private school system.

The local school is a vital social link in an active vibrant community and as such, friendships and loyalties develop through participation in school-related functions. With different peer groups and vacation days, our children were naturally on the periphery of neighbourhood activities and gatherings.

While the cost of our children’s private school education increased from year to year and grade to grade, we became increasingly disillusioned with the university preparatory claim, which is the foundation of the school’s philosophy.

Our greatest concern centered on the time allotted to cover the curriculum. A late start in September, an early closure m June, a three-week break at Christmas and two to three weeks for spring break, another week spent camping plus weekly assemblies all cut severely into academic instruction.

Unlike many parents, we did not hire private tutors to fill in the gaps and our son, like others in his class, either repeated courses or settled for mediocre marks on the provincial exams.

Until the Grade 12 provincial exams are written and graded objectively, parents have little to guide them in determining the quality of the education the student is receiving. But the Ministry of Education posts on its website detailed statistics of exam results for each school, and parents can, with a fair degree of certainty, determine if the weak link is the student, the teacher or the school.

With no reason to expect improvement, we turned to our local catchment school and enrolled our daughter to complete Grades 11 and 12.

While a strong academic program was the main attraction, we were overwhelmed with the diversity of programs, dedication of teachers, the high expectations the staff have of the students and the respect and courtesy extended to students and parents.

The school has far surpassed our expectations. Our daughter has written her math and English provincials and the credit for her success in these exams is, in no small measure, a reflection of her math teache’s twice-weekly evening classes (no cost) for the month prior to exams and her English teacher’s refusal to accept mediocre assignments.

She is gainfully employed during school holidays thanks to certification in several service industry courses (no cost) in the tourism program offered at the school. Thanks to her school counsellor, the CAPP Program and the Career Center, she has her post-grad education goals in place.

The Fraser Institute’s annual ranking of secondary schools does not do justice to the public schools. It is unfortunate that public and private schools are ranked together in the assessment.

The number of exams taken per student is considered by the Fraser Institute to be a key indicator of school performance. Participation rates in provincially examinable subjects will naturally be higher in schools offering nothing but provincially examinable subjects.

Public schools, which offer technical and life skills courses along with academic subjects, will naturally have their participation rate in provincial exams diluted. In this context the Fraser Institute is branding non-provincially examinable courses as a negative attribute, which automatically puts public schools at a disadvantage.

With private schools riding the coat-tails of the Fraser Institute and, most recently, Maclean’s magazine, public schools are given yet another kick in the teeth. The negative press is undeserved.

As our daughter graduates from Grade 12, I would like to pay tribute to principal Meva Sundher and the staff of Mount Douglas secondary school. For the choices and opportunities, support and guidance, I am truly grateful. For creating an atmosphere of pride, enthusiasm, acceptance and self-discipline, I salute them!

Doris Mackend has put two children through the public and private systems. She lives in Victoria.