Hon Bill English
National Party Education Spokesman

19 May 2006

Budget 2006: Maharey misleads schools

Budget 2006 proves that the Government’s school funding review is a hoax, says National’s Education spokesman, Bill English.

In election year, Labour came under pressure from schools in financial trouble despite several years of significant increases in salaries and operations funding. Trevor Mallard set up the Review of Schools Operational Funding to get the Government off the hook.

But Mr English says this year’s Budget shows Labour has no intention of increasing the operations grant any more than in recent years.

“The new Education Minister, Steve Maharey, announced that school operational funding will increase by about $24 million annually for the next four years. That’s about a 2.2% increase per year - far short of expectations in schools.

“A committee of 20 people has met four times, made no progress, and the deadline for a report to Government has already been extended once.

“Steve Maharey should tell schools and unions the truth. Dr Cullen must have told him there is no more money and they are wasting their time looking for big increases,” says Mr English.

ENDS

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