QPEC welcomes criticism of integrated school fees

25 June 2009
Media Release:

QPEC welcomes Minister’s criticism of integrated school fees

QPEC welcomes the Minister of Education, Anne Tolley’s, criticism of the very high fees charged by some integrated schools.

We are concerned in particular at those integrated schools that have been allowed to charge thousands of dollars in fees each year, while also receiving full state funding. We believe this is an abuse of integration policy.

This is an issue that QPEC raised frequently with the previous government but to no avail. Anne Tolley’s comments give us hope that change is underway.

The schools concerned are former private schools which have integrated into the state system and are fully funded by the government for teacher salaries and day to day operations. Despite this they are asking parents for thousands of dollars in fees with the clear expectation that these fees will be paid as a condition of attendance.

In this way these schools are able to develop facilities far better than those available at public schools while effectively keeping out students from low-income families.

Hutt International Boys Schools, for example, was established as a private school in the 1990s but failed to attract enough students when it opened. It was saved from an embarrassing closure when the then National Government allowed it to integrate into the state system. Now it is asking and expecting parents to pay $6524 per year to attend despite being fully funded by the government.

This school uses high fees to maintain a socially cleansed environment for the students of well-heeled parents while also taking government funding as a state integrated school.
Other integrated schools charging high fees include all the formerly private schools in Hawkes Bay– Woodford House, Lindisfarne and Iona College - for example.

Across the board state schools are struggling with government under-funding while these private schools in drag are “creaming it” with taxpayer funding topped off with high school fees. This money should be available for the state system where it is needed most.

ENDS

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