Schools may stop asking for donations

Four out of five schools could stop asking families for donations, a new survey has indicated.

About 82 per cent of 622 primary and intermediate principals who responded to the New Zealand Educational Institute’s (NZEI) survey planned to take up the Labour Party’s campaign pledge for $150 per student in compensation, with three-quarters saying their school would be better off.

Most (41 per cent) wanted to use that income on more teacher aides as 44 per cent said they would be cutting teacher aide hours to stay on budget next year.

Education Minister Chris Hipkins acknowledged schools were under ‘‘enormous financial pressure’’. He would not comment on whether the indicated uptake of the policy was higher than anticipated, saying costings would be hammered out in the next budget.

NZEI president Lynda Stuart said schools’ willingness to ditch donations reflected the financial struggles of many communities.

‘‘$150 [per student] is actually better than what we would get otherwise.’’

State-funded schools have relied on more than $1 billion in voluntary donations and community grants since 2000. Some have used unlawful tactics to solicit donations, including engaging debt collectors to obtain donations from families.

Stuart said staffing issues laid bare in the survey results highlighted ‘‘how difficult it is to attract and retain teachers into the profession’’.

The Education Council, which manages teacher registration, was approaching provisionallyregistered teachers about transitioning to a full certificate to help retention, but Stuart said it would take ‘‘more than just the one solution’’.

Teacher aides and other support staff were paid out of schools’ operating budgets meaning there were ‘‘only two things’’ that could be cut. ‘‘One of those is people you have in your school and the other is curriculum resources for children,’’ she said.

‘‘You still have to pay for your heat and lights and water.’’

Hipkins planned to announce a solution to teacher supply issues ‘‘in very short order’’ but declined to give any further details.