[de_axeman]

I've never been to a Christian school, and have only experienced public education myself. I also am not a parent.

I think that the public school system was fine for me - I had some good teachers and I had some bad ones. The quality of education was acceptable. I've had the privilege of being in an 'elite' (for lack of a better word) school as well as in an average school, and I can't say that I would've succeeded greatly or failed miserably in either one of them. I did prefer the better school though, because there was a culture there to succeed and do well, and the teachers were genuinely interested in teaching us something.

Apart from good quality education, the main thing I feel is important (and sorely lacking in many schools today) is discipline. I'm not talking about corporal punishment and strict rules, but values that teach kids to be responsible for their actions and the consequences thereof. That living for the moment is not how you build your future and that their lives have so much meaning and potential in their God-given destinies.

My parents (who were not Christian when I was a child) instilled good values in my life which stood me in good stead, so I was always sensible enough not to smoke, drink or do drugs and succumb to many of the peer pressures at school. They sacrificed their careers in Malaysia to migrate over to Australia that might have a good education and better opoortunities than they did.

I guess the point I'm trying to make in a roundabout way is that you do what you can for your kids - what you feel is right in your hearts, love them and pray for them constantly, trusting in God to work in their lives. If you feel that investing in private education is the best way to care for your kids, it probably is.