Additional education funding will give much needed certainty

Additional education funding will give much needed certainty

The education sector union NZEI Te Riu Roa says additional government funding to schools and early childhood services in Christchurch will give staff some certainty as they go about reopening and getting children back into their routines.

Quake-affected schools and early childhood services are continuing to receive full funding and the government is also making $20 million in additional funding available.

NZEI says schools and early childhood centres welcome the support and the flexible approach being taken.

“At this time schools and centres need to be able to focus on reopening without worrying about the cost of repairs or any potential loss of funding through temporary closure or a drop in student numbers,” says NZEI President Ian Leckie.

“All staff want to get back down to the real business of teaching and learning and helping Christchurch children get through this disaster. The ongoing support and extra funding will help make that happen and speed up the process of trying to return to normal.”

Thousands of children from Christchurch have left and enrolled in schools and centres in other regions. Those schools and centres are also receiving extra financial support.

Ian Leckie says that is entirely appropriate as it’s important to support all children affected by the quake.

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