30 January 2013
Wanganui Collegiate bailed out by taxpayers
It is outrageous that the government agreed to Wanganui Collegiate’s appeal to become an integrated school.
The school opened this week as an integrated school and thereby had its government funding increased from $800,000 to $3
million per year according to a Radio New Zealand report this morning.
This is a failed private school which taxpayers are bailing out through integration despite high quality public
education available at a variety of local Whanganui schools.
Despite the huge increases in government funding through integration this school, and similar integrated schools, will
maintain its exclusivity by charging parents thousands of dollars each year in government approved fees. This is
education not available to the majority of local children whose parents simply can’t afford it.
It’s likely the decision to allow integration was made to appease National Party voters in Wanganui who want a socially
cleansed environment for their children’s education which is paid for by taxpayers.
Integration in recent years has become little more than private education provided at taxpayer expense.
ends