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School donations on the rise, Labour says

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School donations on the rise, Labour says

3News NZ

Party leader David Shearer today released figures showing donations increased on average between 38 percent and 56 percent

Party leader David Shearer today released figures showing donations increased on average between 38 percent and 56 percent

Parents are being forced to pay more in "voluntary" school donations because of inadequate Government funding, Labour says.

Party leader David Shearer today released figures showing donations increased on average between 38 percent and 56 percent in decile four to seven schools between 2008 and 2010.

"All up, almost $30 million in donations was collected at these schools in 2010, up from just over $20m two years earlier," he said.

"Some schools have doubled the size of donations they expect for each student."

Mr Shearer says that while the Government has increased education funding, rising costs and increased demands for schools to "do more" means parents have to fill the gaps in budgets.

"The Government is meant to fund schools to provide a free education for all - it found an extra $35m to make private schools more affordable but what about our public schools?"

Mr Shearer says a Labour Government would make sure schools don't have to rely on donations and cake stalls to stay out of deficit.

NZN

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Comments

13/09/2012 1:35:31 p.m.

john wrote:

no mention of dotcoms donations to schools

11/09/2012 10:05:01 a.m.

Richard wrote:

Good on you David, dreaming up funding from thin air and 'rich pricks'. No change there. Maybe if your voters vandalalised a little less and actually valued schooling the amounts being asked for may be a bit lower?

10/09/2012 5:14:40 p.m.

Wiseacre wrote:

@MIKE - Wow. All that specious waffle and not a single on-topic mention of schools and rising donation expectations. You did however admit that selfish high-income earners manipulate their finances to avoid paying their expected share. Well done old chap.

10/09/2012 5:12:07 p.m.

Erm... wrote:

If Mr Shearer looks in his own constituency he will find the highest 'donations' are requested by the left-wing Principals. Hypocrites much?

10/09/2012 4:12:25 p.m.

Sam wrote:

Ive got to say as much as i dont like him, he is pretty much bang on here i must agree with him.

10/09/2012 3:38:04 p.m.

Mike B wrote:

Wow, we hear nothing from Mr Shearer for months and really start wondering if the other David has not done him in or something. Then he comes out one day and attacks Nationals policy on everything and anything. Still no idea where the money will come from. So please David let us know how you intend paying for all these lovely things you are promising and you have my vote. Also please promise that you will not pay the Iwi for any Water or Air as that is really ridiculous.

10/09/2012 3:16:14 p.m.

Jim Seaview wrote:

QUOTE: "Party leader David Shearer today released figures showing donations increased on average between 38 percent and 56 percent in decile four to seven schools between 2008 and 2010." Wow - When our children were going to school twenty five years ago, the only thing that parents then could guarantee (apart from death and taxes) is that every year school donations went only one way - and that is UP. There were times when our budget could not afford the odd school outing or sports trip for either of our children, we advised them of our financial situation and they accepted it at the same time knowing that we sent them to everything we could, when we could afford it. We budgeted hard. Whats new Mr Shearer? Are you going to promise a FREE EDUCATION for all students now??

10/09/2012 3:14:29 p.m.

David wrote:

@National Party fanboys. In 2005 our school system was ranked second best in the world... its international rating as well as when the rating was done are available online. Poverty in itself was worsened by National in 1991, with massive benefit cuts... international economists and academics all agree, as does New Zealands own group of academics who make up the poverty action group. The school system is due to be ranked again next year... these figures are taken over a 4 year period.. and will judge New Zelands school performance from 2009-2013. What do you want to bet that that rating falls dramatically?. There isnt many placs to go from being second best in the world.. increased class sizes, charter schools, National Standards... these policies are all National Party duds. Feeding starving children instead of pretending they dont exist is one of the best ideas I have ever heard. National will have alot of explaining to do next year I think when our new international school system rating comes out. Just remember though Key has said NZ has the second best school system in the entire world... what he didnt say was that was because of Labour. OH NO!!!!! Though I have seen you call John Key a liar in previous posts which I thought was the funniest thing I have seen in awhile. John Key has said our school system is second best in the world, the OECD has claimed that Nationals policies to date are just leading the country down the crapper with increased welath gaps and poverty. The only person you seem to believe in is yourself.. you even seem to have lost faith in John key, why else would you call him a liar for going on National Tv and stating quite clearly that New Zealands school system (under labour) was rated second best in the world... of course John Key left out the fact that our school rating came from labour... but he did admitt it was the second best in the world.

10/09/2012 3:12:16 p.m.

Mike wrote:

Labour is about rewarding failure and killing success.

Take the socalled rich Labour keep attacking. With income tax, ACC, Kiwisaver, GST - they pay around 50% of their income in tax, but labour feels that is not enough because they worked hard for that money, while govt handouts to the failures grow and grow.

Labour raised the personal tax to 39% when they had been wined and dined by a few to do exactly that, or was it that they gained monetarily from it, like when they directed Kiwsaver/ACC to invest in Maddoff for 'finders fees'? Anyway, by raising the tax rate to 39%, in boom years the tax collected from the tax bracket went down. While it was a great success in publicity, the 39% policy was a complete failure, actually it was worse than a failure as it achieved less than if they had left the tax rate untouched at the lower rate!

Labour mouthpieces keep chanting that Keys was helping out his mates, yet the high income earners had already moved their income off the 39% to company/trust rates, so they were not affected, hence the tax take had dived under Labours 39%! ie the lower top tax rate didn't affect high income earners.

NZ is still in recession, even if it is less recession than the rest of the world. We need to work through the tough times, and not throw away any gains before we even get our head above water.

2000-2005 export growth under Labours boom years - 5%

2008-2011 export growth under Nationals recession years - over 11%.

NZ is still a nation that depends on exports, and without them we can't afford our education/welfare/health.

Most of NZ that have been doing okay, even in growing export markets they are still not highly profitable, but that extra turnover feeds through the rest of NZ economy. But then Labour believes revenue=profit, so is wanting to spend all the export growth as if it were profit!

10/09/2012 2:57:27 p.m.

eddie wrote:

Phewww, I'm glad there was no donations necessary when labour were in power as they put so much money into schools donations weren't required!...ohhh wait.