Attack over school funding
THE Ministry of Education has come under fire from the Labour Party, which alleges New Zealand school capital funding has decreased 13.9% under National, leaving children in cold, mouldy, overcrowded classrooms.
However, Education Minister Hekia Parata hit back at the claims, saying they ‘‘just don’t bear scrutiny’’.
Labour Party education spokesman Chris Hipkins said a frenzied series of announcements in recent weeks could not ‘‘hide the fact’’ school buildings and classrooms had been run down during the tenure of the present National Government.
‘‘Analysis by Infometrics, commissioned by the New Zealand Educational Institute and the Post Primary Teachers’ Association . . . show[s] school capital funding has decreased by 13.9% under National. That’s why kids have been left in cold, mouldy, overcrowded classrooms.
‘‘The panicked announcements of new schools and classrooms should be seen for what it is — National playing catchup after eight years of neglect.’’
He said the Government’s failure to provide schools with adequate funding increases was also the reason why parents were being asked to ‘‘stump up’’ for more and more of the cost of their children’s education.
‘‘School operational funding increased by 2% during the tenure of the current National Government. By contrast, it increased by over 20% under Labour from 2002 to 2008.’’
‘‘National can’t hide from the truth by spouting ‘alternative facts’ any longer.
‘‘The real facts are clear — under National, schools just aren’t getting the funding they need to provide kids with the education they deserve.’’
Ms Parata said there was only one set of data, and the Government budget accounts were verified and made public by Treasury and the Ministry of Education on the website www.educationcounts.govt.nz.
‘‘This is not a question of their figures versus our figures, and Mr Hipkins’ claims just don’t bear scrutiny.’’
She said the Government’s role was to fund state and state-integrated schools to provide a good public education.
This financial year, that amounted to more than $11 billion — the highest investment ever made in public education.
‘‘Funding for vote education has gone up by 35% since 200809, and operational grant funding [direct-to-school funding] has gone up 37.6%, while student numbers have increased by only 3.6%.
‘‘In fact, no other OECD country spends a higher percentage of its public funding on education as New Zealand.’’
She said schools received discretionary funding in the form of operational grants, and it was up to them to decide the best use of that money.
In 2017, just over $1.35 billion was distributed to schools in operational grants, as well as an extra $12.3 million for those schools who had pupils from longterm benefitdependent families.
‘‘Operational grants have not been frozen.
‘‘Funding has also increased at a faster rate than inflation. From 2010 to 2016, the cumulative increase in CPI inflation was 10.9%. The cumulative increase in the operational grant funding rates over this period was 16.8%.’’
Ms Parata said public servants put the information together and made it public.
‘‘There is no conspiracy and to suggest so impugns the reputation of our public service.’’
john.lewis@odt.co.nz