School Fees in New Zealand

School Fees In New Zealand

School fees in New Zealand is a term referring to monetary payments by parents or guardians to their child's school.

In state and state-integrated schools, "school fees" is most commonly used to describe a request from schools to parents or guardians for a donation (usually annual) to their child's school. Although this payment is entirely voluntary, some school boards use terms such as "Fees", "School Levy" or "Parental Contribution" to coerce payment from parents. The Ministry of Education direction from its 1998-25 Fees Circular to school Boards advises that terms to imply that payment of the sum is compulsory should not be used, particularly "fee" or "levy". Instead, the term "School Donation" is suggested.

State and state-integrated schools can charge Activity Fees for items above and beyond the curriculum, but payment of the donation is voluntary.

In state-integrated schools, there is a compulsory fee called "Attendance Dues". Schools have to report their attendance dues to the Ministry of Education, where any changes to the dues are monitored. Attendance dues are payable for upkeep of the school land and buildings, which unlike in state schools are privately owned by proprietors, such as the Catholic Church in the case of a Catholic school. While school donations are voluntary like in state schools, parents/guardians are contractually and legally required to pay attendance dues, and proprietors can take action against parents or even cancel the enrolment of the child over unpaid attendance dues.