Why some Rotorua schools are opting out of school donation scheme

Lynmore Primary School principal Lorraine Taylor called the scheme ridiculous after not being included in the eligible schools. Photo / File

"Thirty-seven thousand dollars is a lot of sausages to sell, we wouldn't be able to find that money ourselves."

This is how Owhata Primary principal Bob Stiles feels about the Government's school donations scheme, which offers funding of $150 per student for schools that choose to forgo asking their pupils for donations.

"It is the best thing ever, at the moment we get $1800 so it's 20 times the amount.

"Certainly for our school, it will be a great thing. The Government are just trying to have some equity for our tamariki and it will give them more opportunities and support for their learning."

However, it is not plain sailing for all schools.

About a third of all eligible schools have opted in to the school donations scheme, for which the Government has budgeted more than $75 million a year.

Schools with a decile rating between one and seven are all eligible for the sum.

The problem some schools are facing is once the school "opts in" the scheme requires them to stop asking for donations from parents - and this is something on the mind of Mokoia Intermediate principal Rawiri Wihapi.

Being in the middle of the decision-making process, the decile five principal said there were a lot of finer details to mull over.

"I think it is probably positive for those schools which may not get a lot of donations but, in saying that, the criteria means we won't be able to afford to do some of our activities anymore."

Wihapi said it could be detrimental to those schools which did not opt in and believed the majority of the schools would.

"The ministry has informed us that parents don't have to pay for activities if it is related to the education of the child in school hours.

"Once they understand that they probably won't pay anything at all."

The policy was originally announced as part of the Wellbeing Budget for Labour's election plan to bring an end to school donations.

But Lynmore Primary School principal Lorraine Taylor had missed out on the scheme due to being the only Rotorua urban school outside the eligible group. She said she was tired of being a political football.

"I think it is a ridiculous policy because it has not been thought through by anyone.

"The Ministry of Education has given very poor advice to the minister because the scheme just makes the assumption everyone is rich in a high decile school and it is not the case."

If the scheme was open to all schools regardless of decile, Taylor said Lynmore would have been eligible for $98,000. Taylor said she was finding it hard to ask parents for donations when another school down the road did not have to.

"There is no doubt there are schools which need more support than others but I don't understand why there wasn't a sliding scale.

"We're hoping in the upcoming election there will be an offer of money for those deciles missing out and it will be a political ploy."

Education Ministry acting deputy secretary sector Coralanne Child said although the decile eight to 10 schools were not currently eligible to opt in, this was not set in stone.

"The minister has said the Government will monitor the donations replacement scheme once implemented, and consider any changes once it is up and running."

Education Ministry deputy secretary Katrina Casey said the number of schools which had applied was expected to increase now the school holidays were over since they have had time to "consult with their communities".

"Because the scheme is voluntary we have always anticipated that some schools may choose not to opt in to the scheme.

"As it is an annual process, the schools that choose not to opt in may choose to do so in a subsequent year."

The deadline to make a decision on whether to opt in for 2020 is November 14.