School causes uproar by doubling fees - Video

I agree with Elaine Jordan, schools are for education not making money on dubious buisiness ventures. By the way I am a teacher if I wanted to be in buisiness I would go into buisness [and probably go broke]

Its not just fees that are going up but also cut backs within the education system which is really getting to me. My son has to have a teacher aid full time as he is not able to be left alone because of his disablities. Up until this year the teacher aid hrs were 19hrs a week, but without any warning or any notiafication to the school or his teacher aid the hrs were cut to 14 and a half. Now granted that last year he was sick and only used a certain amount of his hrs so do understand the need for a cut back but how many other children are been told by the education board that they are not allowed to be at school because sorry there is no money. To me this is unacceptable and I am sure it is against the law as well. No child should be denied an education because they have an illness or a disability.

I feel for parents out there, Books, uniforms, school fees and school activities (camps etc). I remember high school, the one person that didn't go on school camp because parents couldn't afford the extra cost was a social leper for the rest of the school year. I can't imagine how hard it must be for parents who have more than one child at school.
But what bothers me the most is our schools and our health system are under funded, I can't remember a time when they weren't, yet in tonights news it was reported how much money was spent in the Solomon Islands each year to help people there. It was something like $37 Million and it is set to rise to build new houses for the police. How much good could that do for our education system or health system. And that is only the money sent to one county. What is the total annual aid bill to help nations outside of NZ?? I am all for helping those in need but shouldn't our tax payers and people come first? Especially with financial times getting tougher?? If parents can't afford the cost of schooling their children how can they encourage them to stay in school and complete their education? I hope John Key can see that our people need financial aid first, educating our children will ensure a healthy future for our country.

you must of forgotten how underfunded schools were under labour Guy. The underfunding of schools, health, police, etc has been going on for a number of governments.

Richard: I don't think you know what the term "PC" actually means. How is asking for a donation PC? Answer: it isn't, it's just that schools are underfunded because whatever percentage of the country that voted for National/ACT would rather have tax cuts.

Maybe we could take the money wasted on Gangs and other miscreants and give it to schools so that those who wish to be useful members of society can benefit.

It is high time school fees were either compulsory, or removed. This PC BS about them being a 'donation' is a crock.

Why should some people scrimp to pay them while others don't?

thanks for that Alien I will do just that
but then there is still all these other class fees or electives etc and I dread the books
on a postive note I do only need to buy 2 pair sox and a pe top.
guess it makes it a bit harder with my son being special needs child. I held him back last yr but unable to do that it again.
hope the school has some kind of payment option for these class fees.

Yes , the fee is a voluntary donation which cannot be enforced onto parents . Usually schools adopt the tactics of psychological appraoch by informing parents that the faculty and facilities would get affected if the funds are not available. To a certain extent yes they do need funding assistance but why must it be at the expense of parents . There are enough tax dollars around which should be utilized for this purpose . If the Ministry of Education is not able to manage the show then they too n eed to be sacked and appoint regional committee's through local governance employing financial experts and let them manage the finances of the schools and their requirements . But then Elaine has rightly pointed out we have provided way too much autonomy . BOT is a failure system and should be done away with. Principals should report to local governance and let them sort out the issues .

Letitia, a school fee is a donation that you legally do not have to pay. They can threaten to not let your son participate in certain things, but by law they can do this, so if you cannot afford to pay this fee then don't, if they threaten you contact the education ministry.