Plenty of laptops - but not much for children

By JEREMY REES

Principals in selected secondary and primary schools will get 600 leased laptop computers as part of a new leadership package for schools.

The Government has set aside $27 million - including $19 million new funding - to develop leadership among principals.

Education Minister Trevor Mallard said: "Many principals have described to me the struggle of the first few years. If principals are better prepared, we will have better schools and better learning."

But critics say the budget for pre-school and school education is filled with small initiatives - like the laptops - which will make little difference to children.

Education lobby groups said the Budget spread a small amount of money over too many proposals.

Roger Harnett, president of the Auckland Primary Principals' Association, said: "The need for the focus of announcements to be put on 600 laptops for principals probably signifies the real difference that this Budget will make for the children in our schools - very little."

In the Budget, the Government said it would:

* Increase school operational funding by 1.6 per cent.

* Spend $17.1 million over four years to better monitor schools.

* Spend $15 million a year to implement the National Certificate in Educational Achievement.

* Start a leadership package for principals, including professional development and an on-line network for principals.

Mr Mallard said: "These are all initiatives that will ultimately help reduce workloads and improve the quality of teaching and learning in schools."

But critics disagreed.

Mr Harnett said Auckland primary principals had mixed feelings.

Although primary principals would welcome some initiatives, most were only scratching the surface.

"Schools have been faced with increasing costs for some time, yet operational funding is increased by an infinitesimal amount," he said.

"Once again we are asking parents to dig into their pockets to try to maintain existing levels. This is a totally inadequate revision of operational funding."



The president of the Post-Primary Teachers' Association, Jen McCutcheon, said: "Secondary teachers need some indication from the Government that their issues - workload and staffing - are being taken seriously and will be addressed.

" This Budget goes nowhere near to doing that."

Principals' Federation president Geoff Lovegrove said that the Budget "sent good signals about school leadership" for principals.

But he was disappointed at a delay in announcing further developments for staffing numbers.

www.nzherald.co.nz/budget

Charts: