Trust considers funding findings

The Lands Trust Masterton has distributed more than $4 million for education in the town in the past decade. FILE PHOTO

Community-owned property trust Lands Trust Masterton and the town's education sector are considering the results of an independent review of the trust's grant funding for education in Masterton over the past 10 years.

The existing education funding programme, mooted in 2004, has centred on joint programmes in the early childhood, primary and secondary school sectors with the focus on professional development for teachers.

More than $4.3 million has been granted to education during that time with $1.7 million to the joint programmes and the balance in the form of roll-based grants, tertiary scholarships and special grants.

Community grant funding was allocated separately.

"The trust is absolutely committed to its main purpose of funding education opportunities in Masterton and it commissioned the review because we want to make sure that this continues to evolve and deliver maximum value," trust chairman John Bunny said.

Education consultants CORE Education assessed whether trust funding was making a difference to the education community, whether the approach now used was relevant and how education results could be further improved.

It gathered the views of 30 Masterton education professionals in face-to-face interviews.

The findings, presented to review participants last week, found the trust's investment was making a difference to the Masterton education community in some areas.

CORE Education recommended a more "intentional" and strategic approach to better target and improve results for education providers and students.

This included the trust taking a leading role in an "education conversation", to centralise and unify some of the thinking in the area.

Other key recommendations included spreading funding to achieve greater equity in education, re-scoping the grant application process and providing more visible support.

CORE Education presented the findings to the trust and the review participants last week.

"It was important to hear the views of experts in our education community, as part of the review itself, and with regard to the findings," Mr Bunny said.