Schools must disclose donations as voluntary - Tolley

20 Comments

1. 
   charmaine.taplin 08:29am Tuesday 06th October 2009 NZDT Report Abuse

   I work at one of the schools named in the Sunday Times article. The only error we made was fogetting to put the word 'voluntary' in front of the word donation. We only ask for $30 per child for a years donation and if this is not donated we do not pressure parents at all. As soon as ERO pointed this wording error out to us we changed it. Pretty unfair to slag us off to the nation for that!!

2. 
   roy.g 07:27pm Monday 05th October 2009 NZDT Report Abuse

   askchris you need to read up on the decile rating.....it is to do with the socio-economic level of the surrounding community. the biggest problem being that a school can be in a high socio-economic area so get less funding however most children in the area get sent to private schools and the school is still left with 'disadvantaged' (not an accurate description sorry) children AND less funding. the point that is being missed is that education is not free it is payed for in our ta ...

3. 
   Alex 06:41pm Monday 05th October 2009 NZDT Report Abuse

   askchris it is nothing to do with the number of Maori students but it is related to the income of the parents http://www.minedu.govt.nz/NZEducation/EducationPolicies/Scho ols/SchoolOperations/Resourcing/OperationalFunding/Deciles/F requentlyAskedQuestionsAboutDeciles.aspx

4. 
   askchris 04:57pm Monday 05th October 2009 NZDT Report Abuse

   The Government choose to have Decile rates and depending on what decile you are depends on the funding. The get a decile rating on how many Maori students they are. My Children are at a decile 6 Primary School, we dont get nearly as half as what a loweer Decile School does. My Childrens school ASK and REQUIRE the voluntry fees be Paid. SINCE WHEN SHOULD CHILDRENS LEARNING BEEN BASED ON RACE. WE SHOULD ALL HAVE EQUAL LEARNING.

5. 
   magic_alnz 01:53pm Monday 05th October 2009 NZDT Report Abuse

   First they pass a law that says all children must get schooling. Then the schools charge the children that have to be there by law. taxation by other means?

6. 
   Sheree 12:49pm Monday 05th October 2009 NZDT Report Abuse

   School's use to years ago fund raise there own money. So whats the issue now on why they can't. I am like most parents would like to pay but money never goes that far anymore and with the cost of books,trips,uniforms, It's hard to find the extra dollars with the cost of living. I do not see a need for primary schools to have computers when there first learning curve should be reading and writting is more important than sitting on a computer. I do not and will not contribu ...

7. 
   info.volk 12:07pm Monday 05th October 2009 NZDT Report Abuse

   My understanding on the term FREE relates not to money but being open to all. The Govt provides sufficient money to cover wages and operating costs it does not provide money that the schools require to fund extra things like technology, Equipment or the like. Each school has a wish list that it wants to obtain , the only way for this to be achieved is to set a donation . A child should not be disadvantaged because their parents are unable to pay or unwilling to pay. Use the "reasona ...

8. 
   bikeracknz 11:56am Monday 05th October 2009 NZDT Report Abuse

   it needs to be referred back to the govt and it is not easy for all parents to spare enough fund to fulfill the donation requests... we already pay enough taxes, dont we!

9. 
   John Edward 11:52am Monday 05th October 2009 NZDT Report Abuse

   We pay our sons fees in full at Rathkeale and consider it necessary to ensure that all the boys there get what they require for their education. When you sign up you know what is required, so pay up. Those who really cannot afford it can opt out. If the govenment paid what is necessary then schools would not have to go cap in hand to parents for the extra. Govenment say "you cannot do this" some parents dont want to pay it's all posturing and it's the kids who w ...

10. 
    kevin.salmon 11:37am Monday 05th October 2009 NZDT Report Abuse

    The govt doesn't pay for our childrens education they subsidize it, if parents can't or don't pay the shortfall, the kids will miss out. Why are we not looking at the govt more on this rather than the poor schools who are magically trying to do the job we want with not enough money or resources to do it.