Activity Fees
Schools can ask for, but not insist on, payment of fees for activities that fall outside the curriculum or have a "take home component", at the beginning of the year. Schools can not make payment in advance a condition of enrolment and must ensure that learning is not impacted through non-payment for any reason, as Section 3 of the Education Act guarantees free enrolment.
The Ministry suggests that;
- schools provide a "pay as you go" option so that parents do not pay in advance for things such as class trips that a sick child may not ultimately attend.
- schools itemize their fees so that parents can choose which activities they want their children to participate in.
- schools inform parents at the beginning of the year of the materials charge for subjects such as clothing and woodwork.
Notably the Ministry of Education (1998-25) advises that it is inappropriate for activity fees to cover student workbooks (textbooks that students write in) and photocopying. Activity fees are a 'goods and service' so attract GST. The operation of activity fees is described in cases below.
Read more about this topic: School Fees In New Zealand
Famous quotes containing the word activity:
“Play for young children is not recreation activity,... It is not leisure-time activity nor escape activity.... Play is thinking time for young children. It is language time. Problem-solving time. It is memory time, planning time, investigating time. It is organization-of-ideas time, when the young child uses his mind and body and his social skills and all his powers in response to the stimuli he has met.”
—James L. Hymes, Jr. (20th century)