Schools Funding Fails To Match Inflation – Cuts Inevitable

Operations grants for schools in Budget 2010 are funded at only two thirds the level needed to maintain programmes, Labour’s Education spokesman Trevor Mallard said today.

“The Government has budgeted for a 4 per cent increase in operational grant funding. This is way below Treasury’s forecast for inflation over the next year, which it estimates to be at 5.9 per cent,” Trevor Mallard said.

“This means that schools will be under huge pressure to make up for the funding shortfall.

“Schools will have some tough decisions to make.

“Should they cut back on cleaning or maintenance, reduce the number of hours of support for special needs children or defer their connection to broadband?

“What is inevitable is that many schools will be forced to cut the number of hours teacher aids work, meaning teachers will be forced to pick up this less specialised work and so won’t be able to devote as much time actually teaching students.

“Either that or they will turn to already stretched parents to come up with extra cash to cover the shortfall, which would be another impost on National’s fast disappearing tax cuts,” Trevor Mallard said.

ENDS

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