Chris Hipkins
MP for Rimutaka
Education Spokesperson

MEDIA STATEMENT

30 November 2016

20,000 at risk students “missing”

A briefing to the Minister of Education reveals 20,000 at-risk students can’t be found, undermining claims by Hekia Parata that a new funding model would ensure additional funding reached students identified as at-risk, says Labour’s Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins.

“The Minister claims her new funding model will ensure at-risk kids will receive additional support, but in a briefing she received in August, the Ministry told her they were unable to find 20,000 of these students.

“The Minister was so concerned with the briefing she told officials she would “like to see how we can track this ‘missing’ cohort.”

“Another briefing states alternate education providers are unlikely to see any additional funding, despite analysis indicating 60 percent of students in alternative education meet the at-risk criteria.

“Over the weekend a survey revealed a quarter of principals surveyed are looking to cut support staff hours due to inadequate funding next year. This shows the new funding model was little more than a disguised cut.

“National is starving our schools of the funding and resources they need to succeed and that’s just not good enough.

“Labour will end National’s funding freeze and make sure our schools get the resources they need,” says Chris Hipkins.

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