Is school education free?
Payments made by families to cover state schooling are being discussed in a series of public meetings after outcries about the cost of ‘‘free education’’.
Otaki electorate Labour candidate Rob McCann set the meetings up after a ‘‘huge’’ reaction to a column about his concerns with increasing costs parents were struggling to meet to send their children to school.
‘‘I have been deluged with calls and emails. What they’ve reacted really strongly to is the idea everyone’s thought education is free in New Zealand, and yet you’ve got all these hidden costs really cutting into parents wallets,’’ McCann said.
‘‘Parents really want to see their kid get ahead ... do well at school, but that means having to provide all the things some parents really struggle with.’’
Schools and teachers were doing their best in tough financial conditions, he said. They were asking parents to help fund digital technology and equipment, and add to the general funding pool because of difficulties covering building costs and teacher aides.
McCann is part of his sons’ school fundraising group, which goes to a lot of effort each year. However they now strategically seek donors outside the school community, so ‘‘we don’t put too much pressure on parents’’.
‘‘It is really expensive for parents, when you think that a few years ago the $400 that it costs for a Chromebook didn’t exist. Now [some] parents have to shell that out. We as a society need to acknowledge that school’s getting more expensive.
‘‘We’ve got to make a proper attempt for it to be free, rather than pass it off to parents in ways that add up.’’
Horowhenua Principals’ Association president Moira Howard said many schools struggled to cover long term maintenance, depreciation, rising operating costs, and also ensure they had enough staff to do a good job. However, most worked hard to avoid passing costs on.
‘‘Sometimes schools do rely on donations from parents and fundraising. The money doesn’t go into extras, it often goes into the crucial things.’’
For example at Levin North School, where she was principal, $2 million of essential maintenance costs were expected in the next ten years, for which they had $750,000, she said. So the school would need to explore a wide range of funding avenues.
‘‘We don’t have a great rate of donations. We recognise it’s really hard for families out there, so what we get is what we get. But that approach comes at a cost to the school.’’
‘‘[The Minister] says she’s put money into education, but the reality is that that hasn’t really affected schools operating funding, and costs are going up.’’
Minister of Education Hekia Parata said school funding had increased at a faster rate than inflation, and this year $11 billion was spent - the largest amount invested in public education in New Zealand and the highest education public funding percentage among OECD countries, she said.
‘‘Overall donations have consistently made up just 1.8 per cent of total school revenue. These donations are from a variety of sources, not just parents. School boards set the voluntary contribution parents can make, and they should take into account their communities when setting these.
‘‘When it comes to donations, parents have always been able to contribute to their schools, but no parent should feel compelled.’’
Education Meetings: all on Monday, March 20, High Tide Cafe in Paraparaumu, 1pm; Te Takere in Levin, 2.30pm; Otaki RSA, 7pm.