Half of parents save towards education

Parents want their children to have a better education than they did and just over half of them are putting money aside towards it.

A Versus Research poll shows 54 per cent of parents say they are saving for their children's education, but rate it alongside saving for holidays and travel.

Aucklanders were the best savers, with 68 per cent of parents saving for their children's education.

Auckland parents were also most likely saving to send their children to private or boarding schools, while Otago and Southland had the highest percentage of parents planning to send their children to state schools.

The survey questioned 612 parents from six regions and was commissioned by Manchester Unity Friendly Society, which has launched a savings programme for parents wanting to save for their children's secondary and tertiary education.

Associate Education Minister David Benson-Pope said that given our poor savings culture he thought 54 per cent of parents saving for their children's education was pretty good.

Manchester Unity chief executive Peter Schumacher said the survey showed that 92 per cent of parents wanted their children to have a better education than they did, but most did not have the money to pay for it.

More than a quarter of parents surveyed did not know how much it would cost to send their child to university or polytechnicalthough 81 per cent said basic secondary education costs should be covered and 71 per cent believed tertiary education should be free.

Aspirations

* 92 per cent of parents say they want their children to have a better education than they did, but only 54 per cent say they are saving for their child's education.

* Auckland parents are the best savers, with 68 per cent saving for the child's education and most saying the savings were for private or boarding schools.

* 81 per cent of parents think the Government should be responsible for covering basic secondary education.

* 71 per cent believe tertiary students should not have to pay for their education.