Hon Anne Tolley
Minister of Education
19 May 2011

Budget 2011 invests a significant amount of additional funding in education during constrained fiscal times, Education Minister Anne Tolley says.

“The Government has allocated an extra $1.3 billion in operating funding and $109 million in capital for education out to 2014/15, with student engagement and achievement our absolute priorities,” Mrs Tolley says.

“Total Votes Education and Tertiary Education spending will rise to a record $12.2 billion in 2011/12. This will mean that the Government has invested an additional $4.4 billion in education since 2009, a massive total in difficult economic times.

“We are completely focused on giving children and young people the opportunity to succeed, from early childhood education, through schooling, and into vocational and tertiary training and education.”

Budget 2011 education highlights include:

• A 2.92 per cent increase in operational funding for schools – $118.1 million in new funding over four years to allow for rises in costs.

• An additional $550.3 million over four years for early childhood education, with a focus on increasing participation for Maori, Pasifika and children from low-income families, whom we know will benefit the most.

• $66.5 million over four years to increase the number of Trades Academies and Service Academies, to keep more 16 and 17 year olds engaged in education and training as part of the wider Youth Guarantee.

• $59.7 million in new operating and capital funding over four years for school property, and $60 million over four years will be reprioritised to build new kura, and upgrade existing buildings.

• $51.5 million for the school network upgrade project, as we continue to build ultra-fast broadband support for schools.

• $12 million over four years of new funding with a specific focus on lifting Maori achievement, and $17 million of reprioritised funding to extend the Te Kotahitanga programme to an additional twenty schools.

“The increased education funding in Budget 2011 builds on the foundations we have put in place over the past two years in ECE, National Standards and the Youth Guarantee,” Mrs Tolley says.

“We are targeting funding to support initiatives that continue to improve our education system, lift student achievement and engage young people in study options that lead to worthwhile qualifications.

“All our young people deserve the chance to reach their potential, and Budget 2011 delivers the investment in priority areas which will make this happen.”

ENDS

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