In The Duel, 24 hours columnists David Eby and Kathryn Marshall battle over the issues of the day. Who's the winner this week? Fire us an email at van24feedback @sunmedia.ca.

The state of education: should the free market and competition apply to public schooling?

While public school enrollment declines, more and more parents are putting their children into private schools. Critics like to portray these parents as either rich snobs or religious extremists, but what they should be asking is why there's an exodus from public schools?

The answer isn't that parents are becoming more religious, or suddenly have a lot more money. The exodus more likely has a lot to do with the fact that many independent schools offer a better quality education - in the latest Fraser Institute ranking independent schools make up 23 of the 25 high schools. Another factor is that because parents pay fees, principals have to be more responsive to parent concerns. In the public system parents can be, and regularly are, ignored.

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The government provides a subsidy to independent schools because parents already pay education taxes to the public system. This also means independent schools are inspected by the provincial Ministry of Education. Altogether about 11% of B.C. students are in independent schools.

If independent schools are providing a better product, the answer should not be to cut their subsidy to lower their quality, or raise their fees to make it less affordable, or both. The public system should be looking to the private system as a model.

One thing many parents want is a greater say in how their public schools are run - so B.C. should consider publicly funded "free schools" like in the UK. Parents can found a school with a particular focus, such as art or business, and then are involved in the running of the school, including hiring the principal.

It should also be easier for parents to move their children to good schools within the public system.

Embracing competition is the answer to improving public education.

And as for the cries that teachers are paid too little? That comes down to competition too - there are too many. In 2010 about 2,700 new teachers were certified, but there is only demand for about 1,000 positions in the public system.

Basic economics teaches us that when supply outstrips demand, the wages are going to be low. Raising wages is great for current teachers, but does nothing for the quality of education.

B.C. has some great schools, so let's fix the system to make all schools more like the best, and not drag them all down to the lowest common denominator.

Kathryn Marshall is a columnist, blogger and political commentator. Read her blog at kathrynmarshall.ca and follow her on twitter @KVMarshall.