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Government cuts driving increased education costs

23 January 2015

Government cuts driving increased education costs, hurting poorer kids

Government cuts to education are forcing more of the burden on to parents and damaging the education of poorer kids, as the cost of primary and secondary education increases by five times the cost of inflation, the Green Party says.

Statistics New Zealand data shows that the cost to parents of primary education rose by 4.6 percent in the past year and by 4.4 percent in secondary education - well above inflation of 0.8 percent.

Green Party commissioned analysis last year also showed the Government's budgeted spend on education and health was falling by $3.8 billion in real terms over the next three years, amounting to a 3 percent funding reduction for each primary school pupil.

"Government funding cuts are forcing more of the burden onto parents who, if they can't pay rising school costs, are resorting to keeping their kids at home," Green Party education spokesperson Catherine Delahunty said.

"It’s an absolute disgrace that in a country like New Zealand, children from less well off homes are not going to school because their parents can't afford uniforms, fees, or in some cases a school lunch.

"Education is supposed to be a route out of poverty, but under this Government its getting more and more difficult for children from less well-off homes to access the kind of education they need to escape poverty.

"National is pinching money from schools and families in its obsession to reach a surplus, but that will cost all of us in the long run.

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"In May's budget, the Government must take stock of just what it costs to educate our children and ensure schools are funded so that everyone, not just the well-off, can access a good education.

"The Green Party would ensure schools are funded for the real costs of education and that, for children, education is truly free.

"Till then, the Government must look at making hardship grants for school expenses non-recoverable, as families on the lowest incomes can not afford to keep up with the increasing repayments," Ms Delahunty said.

Link to Green Party release on BERL research about the real budget cuts to education and health:
https://www.greens.org.nz/news/press-releases/national-cut-38-billion-health-education-and-environment-spending


Stats NZ CPI data on the costs of education:

Group or subgroupSeries ref: CPIQQuarter
20132014% change
DecMarJunSepDecDec-Dec
Education groupSE910127213141319132013254.2%
Early childhood educationSE91018218268438448594.6%
Primary and secondary educationSE9102139614581458145814584.4%
Tertiary and other post-school educationSE9103133513831383138313833.6%
Other educationSE9104149515371537153715372.8%


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