Nanaia

MAHUTA

Education Spokesperson

11 September 2012 MEDIA STATEMENT

Minister ducks for cover on school donations

The Government is in denial about the rising cost of school donations, says Labour’s Education spokesperson Nanaia Mahuta.

Labour revealed yesterday that between 2008 and 2010 the amount of money schools raised through donations increased by more than 30 per cent.

“Hekia Parata had no answer when I asked her whether Government funding has been outpaced by the increase in parent donations. I’m not surprised, she must know that parents have been left to pick-up the tab for school’s rising costs.

“Sadly, Nationals educational priorities are largely focused on private sector models. They’ve increased subsidies to private schools by $35-million, and are obsessed with charter schools and public private partnerships.

“But the reality is the vast majority of parents send their children to public schools.

“The Minister denies that some schools are funding the internationally acclaimed Reading Recovery programme from parent donations. That’s not what I’ve heard – but in any case, too many kids in low decile schools miss out because their parents can’t afford hefty donations.

“Well, Hekia Parata can distance herself from the school donation debate all she likes, but it’s an issue that will come back to haunt her. Our children deserve a vision for their future where a Government is committed to investing in public education that it delivers to all children regardless of their circumstances,” says Nanaia Mahuta.

ENDS

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