Waitakere schools lose out on funding

By Rani Timoti

A number of west Auckland schools will face some tough financial decisions as they start the new year.

Funding cuts are coming with rising decile ratings after an Education Ministry review of household incomes in school areas.

Decile 1 schools have the highest proportion of students from low socio-economic backgrounds and get the most government funding.

Decile 10 schools have the greatest number of pupils from high socio-economic backgrounds and get no government funding.

A decile rating is not a measure of the standard of education delivered by a school.

But alterations can have a huge effect on budgets.

"A number of schools are hurting because they've made significant changes to the operational funding for next year," former Waitakere Area Principals' Association president Darren Smith says.

Mr Smith, who is also principal of St Leonard's Rd Primary in Kelston, says some budgets will be stretched to cover the shortfalls.

Henderson North Primary School principal Irene Ogden faces a similar dilemma and a loss of around $58,000 per year.

"It will impact on the programmes we are able to offer to children who need extra support," she says.

The ministry says decile ratings help it allocate funds to schools in an equitable manner.

But Mr Smith says there will always be debate over what is fair.

"Lots of schools are struggling with the huge impact on their resources and staffing," he says.

Laingholm Primary School principal Paul Heffernan is furious as his school will jump from decile 8 to decile 10 next year.

"A decile 1 school the same size as mine receives approximately double the funding I get to run my school.

"I don't begrudge the amount of money they receive because they need it, but the government should not expect our parents who already pay high taxes to top up a "free" education system," he says.

Mr Heffernan says his school gets $296,272 per year to pay wages, rates, power, water, coal and supply teaching resources and equipment.

It will get nothing under the new rating.

He is also trying to find funding for computers, teacher development and building maintenance.

"The government just does not give us enough money," he says.

"It relies on parent donations to keep higher decile schools operating effectively."

Schools are relying more and more on institutions like the Portage Trust to help them out. 

"We would go under were it not for the support of those parents who elect to pay school donations and the magnificent efforts of the school's fundraising team." 

Western Leader