15 March 2004 Media Statement

Response to decile funding inquiry tabled

The government's response to the select committee inquiry into decile funding was tabled in Parliament today.

Education Minister Trevor Mallard said the tabled response deals with each of the Education and Science Committee's recommendations.

In conclusion, the government response states:

"Having considered the Committee’s report, the Government notes that it shares some of the concerns raised by the Committee, particularly relating to ensuring the education of students who face barriers to learning. Ongoing work by the Ministry of Education, and other initiatives developed in this area, are anticipated to address these concerns."

Trevor Mallard noted that in addition to this, he had also asked the ministry to undertake further work into decile funding.

"I have said publicly I will look at the ethnic component of operational funding in schools. Decile funding has an ethnic weighting equivalent to about 0.5 per cent of the compulsory education budget.

"The question is whether this sort of funding could be better allocated on a socio economic basis. At the same time, I will review whether rural schools in isolated areas should have an income or needs test applied to their extra funding," Trevor Mallard said.

ENDS

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