Ministry to investigate college over fee demands

A Tauranga college is being investigated by the Ministry of Education for appearing to misrepresent donations as compulsory fees.

Associate Education Minister David Benson-Pope has asked officials to investigate Otumoetai College because "it appears this school is acting in a highly irregular manner".

The inquiry has been sparked by a rift between the school and student Rachel Mason's father Ian.

The school served Mr Mason with legal notice on February 15, saying he has 30 days to pay $742.50 for unpaid activity and subject fees or court action would be taken.

A statement of claim including solicitors fees and costs puts the figure at $957.50.

Mr Mason said he cannot afford to pay the activity and subject fees.

Mr Benson-Pope announced earlier this year he would examine the issue of school donations -- and now says the Otumoetai case highlights the need for such a review.

"I have asked the Ministry of Education to investigate Otumoetai College further because it appears this school is acting in a highly irregular manner... I hope to have the results of that investigation [this] week," Mr Benson-Pope said.

After seeing Mr Mason's invoices, the ministry wrote to the college board requesting it not proceed with debt recovery straight away.

"Here, it appears, we have a case of a school asking for more than other schools and it would seem in clear breach of well-publicised rules that govern this situation," Mr Benson-Pope said.

Western Bay secondary schools have struggled to keep afloat on Government funding and say they rely on additional payments from parents.

Last year, 43 per cent of Otumoetai's total revenue came from parents.

In the Masons' case, activity and subject fees were simply too expensive.

Mr Mason, a father of four, told the Bay of Plenty Times there was a charge "anywhere from $6-$100" for each of Rachel's subjects, which included some art courses.

"Funding for schools is out of control, we shouldn't be paying subject fees at all," he said.

The cost of educating his four teenagers had "sky-rocketed" in the past three years.

Rachel, at Year 12 level, said: "Someone has to say something, if no one does there are so many other families who are sacrificing things."

Mr Mason defended his non-payment by saying that education should be free.

Otumoetai College principal Dave Randell was unavailable this morning to comment on the ministry's inquiry.

However, on Friday he said that he had tried to make contact with Mr Mason for more than three years to discuss the issue -- and was yet to meet him.

Mr Randell explained the outstanding fees were part of the "take home component" for subjects and covered everything from the student ID card to technology materials and computer equipment.

This year, 120 parents have opted to pay off the fees throughout the year.

The school had resorted to legal action three times, but none had gone to court.

"I would rather talk to people than go to this extreme," Mr Randell said.

National education spokesman Bill English told the Bay of Plenty Times the school was faced with an "impossible" situation.

"Mr Mason and Otumoetai College are victims of Labour's cash squeeze on schools," he said.

Otumoetai is known for its measures to ensure families can afford school fees, uniforms and other necessities.

Several students have worked off the cost of fees throughout the year by gardening, painting, cleaning and emptying rubbish bins.

Katikati College principal Peter Leggat said he had not had any cases as extreme as Mr Mason's but added that the college relied heavily on parent contributions for school necessities.

Tauranga Girls' College principal Pauline Cowens said if families could not afford subject fees, they did not enrol.

At Te Puke High School, the rules are clear.

"You can't expect woodwork, photography and outdoor education to be free," principal Barry Foster said.

Meanwhile, the Human Rights Commission revealed an action plan last week in which it said it may take schools to court if they try to charge parents for anything that is part of the school curriculum.

- NZPA