School Fees in New Zealand - Non-Payment of Donations

Non-Payment of Donations

Wellington College, a decile 10 school, charges $720 per student and $250 for each sibling each year for "extras" such as sports gear and computers, and the headmaster Roger Moses has admitted that it is powerless to act against the quarter of parents who refused to pay. Auckland Grammar deputy headmaster Wayne Moore said only 65 per cent of parents paid and his school would introduce a $250 "compulsory fee" in 2008 for technology subjects. The Rector of Palmerston North Boys' High School (decile 9), Tim O'Connor said that:

"We have parents who simply don't pay, believing that we have a totally free education system, which is generally supported by what the ministry tells parents."

and that his school was considering hiring a full-time commercial manager to raise the extra $1.5 million a year it needed to operate.

In 2007 Feilding High School allegedly named students in school assembly, sent students home and restricted access to classes, because their parents had not paid subject fees. The Ministry of Education said in a media release that:

... a school has the right to pursue the payment of legitimate charges. It has access to the same debt recovery processes as any other organisation. Parents are required to pay any legitimate charges that have been agreed with the school in the same manner that they are required to pay their power and phone bills. However, Mr Matheson also said that a school cannot use students as a lever in debt recovery. A school has no right to restrict access to classes, or send students home, or to shame students as a device to force their parents to pay. The issue of the claimed debt is between the school and parents. Because school attendance is compulsory for students it is unethical for a school to use its relationship with students in this manner. Failure to ensure the well-being of all students at the school could result in the ministry using its statutory powers to intervene in the operation of the school board. The ministry has the power to appoint a specialist adviser to the board, or a limited statutory manager to manage student well-being, or a commissioner to run the school.

School Trustees Association head Ray Newport says fewer parents have been paying the donation in recent years. At some schools the percentage is as low as 20% and even at the highest-decile schools, many parents opt out.