Source: New Zealand Parliament – Hansard
Question No. 5—Education
5. MARJA LUBECK (Labour) to the Minister of Education: 谢谢 and talofa, Mr Speaker. What action is the Government taking to target resources more effectively towards schools with greater educational challenges?
Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Minister of Education): The Government’s delivering on its promise to introduce a new way of funding schools through an equity index, making sure that the right support is going to the schools and the students who need it the most. Last week, we released school funding for next year, and nearly 90 percent of schools will see an increase in their funding as we shift away from the old decile funding system.
Marja Lubeck: How will this change in funding benefit the parts of the country that need it most?
Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: Schools and kura in Te Tai Tokerau have the biggest average increase of around $223 per pupil while schools in areas like South Auckland will also receive a significant average increase of around $70 per pupil. This change in the way we allocate school funding means that those schools that have the highest concentrations of disadvantaged students will get the biggest increases in funding.
Marja Lubeck: Will any schools in 2023 be worse off as a result of these changes?
Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: No. We are putting in place transitional funding that means that no school will receive a reduction in their per-pupil equity and isolation funding due to these changes. In future years, any reduction is capped at a maximum of 5 percent of their total 2022 operational funding.
Marja Lubeck: Will the introduction of the equity index also increase access to other Government programmes?
Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: Yes. Around 155 schools will now be able to access additional support through the extra cash instead of school donations scheme as a result of the introduction of the equity index. If those schools and kura decide to join the scheme, the family and whānau of around 47,000 extra young people will no longer be asked for donations.
Marja Lubeck: Is eligibility to any other Government programme also increased?
Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: Yes. The changes will also see a further 24 schools and kura join the Free and Healthy School Lunches Programme. That means that around another 3,000 children will be eligible to receive a free healthy lunch at school. This is another example of how the Government is levelling the playing field so that all kids get a fair shot at education.
