Budget 2017: Local educators respond to $1.5b boost

Rotokawa School principal Briar Stewart, president of the Rotorua Principals' Association, said the Budget would help some children. Photo/File

Budget 2017's boost to education, including special needs funding and the unfreezing of operating funding has received a "thumbs-up" from some local principals, but others say it is only a step in the right direction.

The Budget delivered the largest injection of new money into education since the Government took office in 2008, with an additional $1.1 billion of new operating funding over the next four years, plus an additional $392.4 million of capital funding.

There are a number of major investments as part of the new funding including $386m of operating funding to early childhood education providers, $458.9m of additional operating funding for primary and secondary schools, $63.3m to support students with additional learning needs and $7.6m for Maori language curriculum resources.

Other education-based investments include $34.7m for behavioural services for children with behaviour difficulties to improve their self-control and support learning, $6m for 3 and 4-year-olds with oral language difficulties and $4.2m for the Incredible Years Programme to be delivered to children aged 2-5 on the autism spectrum.

John Paul College principal Patrick Walsh said he was pleased with the injection into schools' operating funding and the injection to support students with special needs.

"It's largely a thumbs up to the budget, by and large it appears the Government has finally listened to what the sector needs and have responded."

Rotorua Principals' Association president and Rotokawa School principal Briar Stewart said the Budget was a step in the right direction "at least for some of our children".

"Schools will be relieved the freeze has been lifted on our operation grants, however many are doing it hard from the harsh measures taken already.

"It is a difficult process for boards of trustees, principals and communities working together and trying to make up for huge gaps the freeze has caused in the running of our schools."

Kaitao Middle School principal Phil Palfrey said he would be eager to see if the regions got a slice of the $456.5m to be spent on school infrastructures.

"Kaitao is in poor shape when it comes to classrooms and the environment, we would need at least $1m to tidy it up. Were a slice of that go to us, that would be fantastic.

"I am also impressed with the money going to early childhood education. But the only way to improve the sector is if all teachers are qualified and parents are helped to understand the importance of oral literacy at that crucial early learning age."

Education Minister Nikki Kaye said it was a significant investment in children and New Zealand's future, "designed to keep improving achievement and deliver the best results for our children".

Major investments
- Early childhood education providers will receive an additional $386m of operating funding over the next four years.
- $458.9m of additional operating funding over the next four years for primary and secondary schools. $60.5m will be used to boost schools' Operational Grant Funding by 1.3 per cent, while schools with high numbers of at-risk students will receive an increase of 2.67 per cent in their Targeted At Risk Funding
- $456.5m investment in school property with six new schools, the expansion of two schools, 11 special education satellite units and 305 new classrooms nationwide.
- $63.3m of operating funding over the next four years will be provided to support students with additional learning needs, including expanding specialist behavioural services.
- $7.6m for Maori language curriculum resources and $9.4m over four years to support students with English as another language through the ESOL programme.