Hon Hekia Parata
Minister of Education

7 November 2012 Media Statement
Collaboration resolves relief staffing admin error

Education Minister Hekia Parata is pleased to announce the resolution of a long-standing administrative error over relief staffing entitlements.

The error saw some schools receiving more short-term relief staffing entitlement than others and meant an additional $68.2m went into the sector in 2011.

Ms Parata says the extra resource will be kept within the sector and following an agreement with sector organisations will be distributed equitably amongst all schools and learners from 2013.

This resource will be provided to schools through an increase in the relief teacher funding component of schools’ operational grants.

“I am confident schools will use the $68.2 million well to support teaching and learning in their schools,’’ says Ms Parata.

The Ministry of Education worked with the following sector organisations to resolve the issue:

• New Zealand School Trustees’ Association / Te Whakaroputanga Kaitiaki Kura O Aotearoa (NZSTA)
• New Zealand Principals’ Federation / Ngā Tumuaki O Aotearoa (NZPF)
• New Zealand Educational Institute Te Riu Roa (NZEI)
• Secondary Principals’ Association of New Zealand (SPANZ)
• New Zealand Secondary Principals’ Council (NZSPC) of the PPTA
• New Zealand Post Primary Teachers' Association / Te Wehengarua (PPTA)
• Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Aotearoa.

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