Public services across sectors continue to reveal an astonishing paradox: they remain affordable, accessible, and legally guaranteed, yet people hesitate to use them. Essential procedures that cost a fortune in private institutions are available at a fraction of the price in government facilities. Schools that charge little to nothing still sit half-filled while their private counterparts overflow. This disconnect between what we fund through taxes and what we choose to use reflects a troubling shift in public trust.
The reasons behind the exodus from government institutions are well-known—long queues, slow processes, dated equipment, and occasionally indifferent staff. These shortcomings are real, but they are not inevitable. They stem not from incapacity but from neglect. When citizens withdraw, utilisation drops, funding shrinks, and the quality declines further. The system cannot improve when those with influence and voice stay away.
Reversing this trend is possible. If even a portion of families currently spending heavily on private services returned to public institutions, the impact would be transformative. Increased footfall would create pressure for accountability. Demand would justify better staffing, modern equipment, and stronger maintenance. Public departments that rely on nominal user fees would generate more revenue. Teachers, doctors, and administrators would be compelled to perform—because people would be watching, questioning, and demanding.
This shift is not about sentimentality; it is about reclaiming what citizens rightfully own. Public services thrive when the middle class participates actively, because this group shapes policy through its collective voice. When they step away, systems deteriorate unnoticed. When they re-engage, reforms become unavoidable.
The path forward begins with small steps. Before turning to private options, visit a government facility. Explore the public school in your neighbourhood. Ask questions, file complaints, seek transparency, expect standards. A system sustained by taxpayer money must be held accountable by those very taxpayers.
Public services are not the last refuge for the poor; they are shared assets built by everyone. The moment citizens reclaim these institutions, they will find that the change they seek begins with their own participation.
