More money for integrated schools: but when?

When the Government makes curriculum requirements which have a capital expenditure component it covers the cost for state schools. But not for 330 integrated schools.

The minster of education Hekia Parata has made a commitment to resolving this issue in the term of the present government.

But she has not said how she expects to resolve it and warns that there were many competing demands for Government money.

Association of Proprietors of Integrated Schools chief executive Pat Lynch said its members wanted the Government to pay for any future changes.

“Ultimately, the focus of the conversations we’re having with Government, is that in principle the Crown agrees that when the Crown changes the curriculum requirements, which have a capital expenditure component, that the Crown says, look that’s our cost.”

Brother Lynch said proprietors also wanted the Government to pay off some of the $200 million they had borrowed over the years for capital works on their schools.

He would not say how much they wanted, but reducing the sum would allow proprietors to lower the fee known as an attendance due that they charge parents to cover the debt.

“We’re saying to the Government, can we have some understanding that some of that money can be paid back, because we’d like to give some of that money back to the banks, so we can lower attendance dues for parents.”

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