The number of known leaking schools is now 145, double the estimate in September last year. The worst will benefit from $82 million allocated in the Budget for remedial work in the next year.

Turnover rates at some schools are sitting at around 56 per cent - more than half of the children who start the year don't finish there.

Our neediest teenagers are often being educated in "Third World" conditions without trained teachers, textbooks or standard school services.

Imagine a New Zealand school whose books had words blacked out or pages removed and large parts of the curriculum were simply not taught.

Anne Tolley has told secondary schools the Government is serious about education, but the next few years will not see a great deal of new money.

The Govt can afford interest-free student loans but there needs to be more respect for taxpayer funding, John Key says.