Race-based funding worth $6m says National

More than $6 million could be reallocated to schools if race-based funding was removed, says the National Party.

National released to the Herald yesterday figures which showed the effect of removing the race component of the decile system funding.

This week, Race Relations Minister Trevor Mallard, who is also Education Minister, is expected to release findings of a review into the decile system and the impact of its race-based component.

National's figures, calculated using data obtained under the Official Information Act and from the Ombudsman's Office, reveal that more than a third of schools would experience a change in funding, with some schools gaining as much as $88,000 or $200 per pupil a year.

National's education spokesman, Bill English, said the party had calculated that more than 800 schools could change their decile ranking - 430 would receive funding increases and a similar number would lose funds - and more than $6 million would be reallocated.

 

The decile system, introduced by National in 1995, is designed so poorer state schools are targeted to receive extra money.

The system ranks schools on a scale of one to 10 - one being the poorest and 10 the wealthiest - with decile one schools getting $682 a student more a year than the richest schools. A school's decile rating is based on socio-economic factors which currently include the number of Maori and Pacific Island students.

The review of the system was the Government's response to National leader Don Brash's Orewa speech that attacked race-based funding.

At the time the review was announced, Mr Mallard said the question was whether the race-based funding could be better allocated on a socio-economic basis.

Independent research claims that removing the ethnicity factor would result in little change to the funding spread.

Yesterday, Mr English said how the Government handled the race funding in the decile system would be a test of principle for Labour and Mr Mallard.

 

Mr English said Dr Brash had made the policy on race-based funding clear and funding in schools would be no exception.

Mr Mallard said Mr English showed no signs of knowing what he was talking about.

"As I have announced previously, decile funding is being reviewed as part of the review of targeted programmes and announcements will be made shortly. I have no further comment to make until then."

WINNERS AND LOSERS

The schools which will gain and lose the most according to National Party figures examining the removal of race-based education funding:

Winners

* Linwood College, Christchurch: $102 extra per student

* Buller High School, Westport: $66

* East Otago High, Palmerston: $59

* Naenae College, Wellington: $57

* Hastings Girls' High School, Hawkes Bay: $57

Losers

* Hato Petera College, Auckland: $112 less per student

* Kokohuia School, Wanganui: $90

* Hukarere, Hastings: $89

* Te Whanau-A-Apanui Area School, Bay of Plenty: $89

* McAuley High School, Auckland: $89

(figures based on data from 2002)