Schools contemplate hikes in parent donations, cuts to teacher aides in reaction to Government funding freeze for 2017

A survey of school principals shows many schools are considering a hike in parent donation requests next year and cutting children's access to extra help from teacher aides and other support staff to cope with a Government freeze on core school funding.
The PPTA and NZEI Te Riu Roa surveyed principal members in primary and secondary schools in October and November. Responses from 307 principals reveal major concerns about the impact the funding freeze will have on their students.

About 40 percent of school principals report their schools are considering cutting back on the hours of teacher aides and other support staff next year to cope with what is effectively a cut in funding to most schools. Thirteen percent said they are looking to increase parent donations, while many others commented that donation hikes were impossible, as their community can't afford to pay what's asked of them now.

"The results of the survey show that when the Government cuts funding to schools, it's always kids who miss out in the end," NZEI Te Riu Roa President Louise Green says.

"Every teacher aide hour lost, is an hour less of precious one-on-one time for students who need extra help.

"NZEI members just don't believe that New Zealanders want tax cuts if that means the Government can't afford to fund schools to provide the best education."

Education Minister Hekia Parata announced in Budget 2016 that core operation funding for schools had been frozen, to pay for new targeted funding for children considered most at risk of underachievement. This has left about 60 percent of schools worse off than they would have been if the operation grant had increased in line with inflation as usual.

"To her credit, Education Minister Hekia Parata listened to parents and educators and cancelled her plans for bulk funding. Now, we ask that she takes the next step and increases funding for schools -- and restores funding to early childhood services, which have suffered a funding freeze for six long years.
"We are all in favour of extra funding for children who need the most help, but it shouldn't come at the expense of the basic income that schools rely on to function.

"We believe New Zealand's children and young people deserve the best education in the world, and that New Zealand can afford to pay for it," Ms Green said.
Read the report on the survey here.

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