Recovery package great start for education sector

For immediate release
New Zealand Principals’ Federation
February 11, 2009

NZPF: Recovery package great start for education sector

The New Zealand Principals' Federation says the education sector is grateful to have received the lion’s share of the recovery package announced today by John Key.

"Hopefully this will ease some of the frustrations currently being experienced is a number of schools,"says NZPF President Ernie Buutveld. "There are currently huge pressures for many schools around roll growth, the management of aging buildings and recovery from arson attacks. For these schools in particular, if it gets to them, this package will make a major difference in what capital spending they can access."

Buutveld says the way in which this package is spent will be critical. "Essentially, the Government is bringing forward future spending. This represents an investment in our communities in two ways; one for our children in the medium term, and one for our families and businesses in the more immediate term."

But Buutveld points out that this package will not be the solution to all of the financial problems faced by New Zealand schools. "This recovery package represents capital funding for the education sector, as opposed to operational funding. We will have more funds to construct buildings and increase our ICT infrastructure, but it will not help the hundreds of schools who cannot afford to employ sufficient support and specialist staffing, as well as classroom resources. We believe the issue of operational funding still needs addressing, and the NZPF supports the New Zealand School Trustees Association view that it will need to happen sooner rather than later."

ENDS

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