Cuts will hurt low decile schools

new-zealand-labour-party

Fri Jul 09 2010 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

Cuts will hurt low decile schools

Friday, 9 July 2010, 4:41 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party

**Cuts will hurt low decile schools, show Tolley’s hypocrisy
**

Changes made by the Government to the operational funding of schools, which were revealed in Budget documents released yesterday, will hurt students in low decile schools, Labour's Education spokesman Trevor Mallard says.

"Ministry of Education funding will now be tied to quarterly student roll counts rather than annual counts, meaning schools with a higher rate of students dropping out will be hit with a funding cut," Trevor Mallard said.

"The change inevitably means lower decile schools will miss out. They are more likely to have fluctuating rolls with an element of transient students and students who leave school for various reasons before Year 13.

“The Government estimates that as a result of the change it will be able to cut $716,000 from decile one school budgets, compared with just $153,000 from decile 10 school budgets.

“That is clearly unfair.
“The decision makes a mockery of Mrs Tolley’s claims that she is concerned about the ‘tail of education underachievement’, particularly among Pasifika and Maori students.

“It is just these students who will be most affected by the change.
“Lower decile schools are being hit with a double whammy.
“Not only are they being hit by the roll count change, they are being short-changed by a behind-inflation funding increase.

“The Government has budgeted for a 4 per cent increase in overall operational funding this year, when inflation is forecast to hit 5.9 per cent.

“These actions again demonstrate the huge gulf between Mrs Tolley’s words and actions,” Trevor Mallard said.

ENDS

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