The New Zealand Post Primary Teachers' Association (PPTA) and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) are travelling around Otago and Southland in a colourful camper van this week, as part of the nationwide Heartland Tour which is campaigning against the increasing financial pressures being put on the regions' schools and early childhood education centres.
NZEI president Lynda Stuart said early childhood funding had been frozen for the past seven years, on a per child basis, and core funding for many schools had been frozen this year, leaving millions of dollars less for children's education when inflation was taken into account.
``Already, schools are planning to cut back on teacher aide and support staff hours this year, or to increase parent donations to cope with the funding crunch.
``We want to take the call for better funding for education out to small towns all over New Zealand and hear how whanau, children, and educators are coping.
``People in Otago have a fantastic opportunity to use their vote this year, to ensure every child has the best start in life through a world-class education.
``We know our young people deserve the best education, and we are convinced that most New Zealanders value education over tax cuts.
``This election year, we need every political party to make education their top priority.''
The camper van was at Mosgiel Central Kindergarten and Strath Taieri School in Middlemarch yesterday, where local teachers, teacher aides and school administration staff urged local parents and families to support the call for better funding for education.
Education Minister Hekia Parata said the Government funded state and state-integrated schools to provide a good public education, and this financial year that amounted to more than $11billion - the highest ever investment in public education.
``Funding for schooling has gone up by 35% since 2008-09 while student numbers have increased by only 3.6%.
``In fact, no other OECD country spends a higher percentage of its public funding on education as New Zealand.''
She said schools received discretionary funding in the form of operational grants, and it was up to them to decide the best use of that money.
``In 2017, just over $1.35billion is being distributed to schools in operational grants, as well as an extra $12.3million for those schools who have students from long-term benefit-dependent families.
``Operational grants have not been frozen.''
She said funding had also increased at a faster rate than inflation.
