Do we even know what is the per student cost in the public system? I assume it must be high considering the salaries and benefits paid to teachers and costing $143 to install a pencil sharpener.
That easy-to-despise pencil sharpener number should inspire you to at least the effort of coming up with the annual budget of the Education Ministry and dividing it by the number of enrolled students. Not very useful, like whining about three or four hours to come up with a pencil sharpener and get it installed. We wouldn't want cartons of purchase pencil sharpeners on standby in expensive real-estate all over the City would we? Never mind teams of fixit guys. But it would be a number, and we would inarguably be paying it.
But be comforted, whether it's sharp pencils, or universal education we can always get worse for less. Although getting back to what we really wanted then comes with extra cost.
Or put up your hand and ask Ms. Google: I quote, I'm sure you can find the minister's release.
"Ontario is increasing funding for students for the 10th year in a row. The 2012-13 Grants for Student Needs (GSN) will rise this coming year to $11,189 per student. That is an increase of about $4,000 per student since 2003"