Mallard Makes Beggars Of Schools

act-new-zealand

Mon Apr 26 2004 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

Mallard Makes Beggars Of Schools

Monday, 26 April 2004, 12:47 am
Press Release: ACT New Zealand

Monday 26 Apr 2004

Deborah Coddington - Education

Education Minister Trevor Mallard is forcing schools to write to parents asking for hundreds of dollars to pay for new classrooms, library books, computers, musical instruments and first aid equipment, ACT New Zealand Education Spokesman Deborah Coddington revealed today.

"The Government's poor spending priorities are forcing schools to hit parents up for more and more cash," Miss Coddington said.

"This month, a school wrote to parents requesting $370 under the guise of school fees and levies. This comes on top of any extra fees for field trips, workbooks and craft materials.

"Labour's financial mismanagement of schools has been highlighted by a recent report showing that more than 1,000 schools ran operating deficits in 2002.

"The way forward is to break the State monopoly and fund the students, not the schools. Until that happens, the gap between the `haves' and `have-nots' will continue to grow," Miss Coddington said.

ENDS

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