Katherine Rich MP
National Party Education Spokeswoman

Explosion in highest paid Education Ministry staff

The number of staff earning the highest salaries in the Ministry of Education has increased almost four-fold in the past five years, says National's Education spokeswoman, Katherine Rich.

"In July 2002 there were 13 staff members earning in excess of $130,000 a year - in July 2007 that number had increased to 46.

"And the salary blowout doesn't end there. Lower down the pay scale, the number of staff earning between $110,000 and $120,000 has tripled from 17 to 41 during the same period.

"Increases such as these can't be explained away by inflation. It's just another example of the burgeoning bureaucracy sapping education resources that would be better spent in the classroom.

"Labour has spent eight years growing the size of the Ministry of Education, when much of this money would have been better spent by our local schools on teaching and learning.

"The growth in salaries is at a time when schools scream out for teachers, new schools need to be built, and literacy and numeracy standards fail to improve."

ENDS

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