Dunedin organisations who have had their longtime enriching local curriculum (ELC) funding cut by the Ministry of Education are "taking it on the chin" and are meeting today to discuss ways of keeping their education programmes going.
Local Labour MPs are also working together to support the organisations.
Otago Museum, Orokonui Ecosanctuary, the Otago Peninsula Trust and Kati Huirapa Runaka ki Puketeraki all had their funding cut last month, leaving staff stunned and bewildered, and doubting whether they could continue to run their education programmes without schools paying fees.
Museum director Dr Ian Griffin said the organisations recently had debriefs with the ministry.
"In essence, what they [the ministry] said it was highly competitive and your bids just weren’t as good as some of the others.
"I think there were so many good bids that went in they had difficulty differentiating between them and unfortunately several of the Dunedin ones lost out.
"Obviously, we don’t have access to those assessments so we don’t know how objective they were, but I guess sometimes you’ve just got to accept that process."
He said there would not be another opportunity to bid for ELC funding for another three and a-half years, so the group which had lost funding would have a Zoom meeting today to discuss a way forward.
"Rather than act as individuals and all of us go to different people for the same kind of funding, we’re wondering if there is an opportunity for us to work together and collaborate and see whether we can get funding for all of the education programmes from a different source."
Dunedin MP Dr David Clark said he and fellow Labour MPs were also working on a possible funding solution, but was unable to give details at this stage.
"It is an important local cause.
"As local MPs, we’re concerned about keeping these services available, where possible, and we’re advocating strongly on their behalf for the provision of services to continue in local schools.
"I hope to have something more concrete to say sometime next month."
Primary school principals were furious at the ministry’s funding cuts, saying it would leave a "significant void" in their pupils’ learning.
The Otago Primary Principals’ Association planned to send letters to the ministry on behalf of the region’s principals, urging it to reconsider the funding cuts.
Association president Vicki Nicolson said the education programmes were widely used by Dunedin and rural schools, but if admission fees were applied, it would make it too expensive for many schools.
Visits to the museum or the ecosanctuary provided sights, sounds and smells that could not be experienced in a classroom, she said.
