90% + of the children and whanau belonging to Te Tai Tokerau Schools, will be better off as a result of the $150.00 donation scheme, brought in by the government,” says The President of Te Tai Tokerau Principals Association, Mr Pat Newman.

Over 90% of our children up here belong to schools that fit the criteria for this scheme. Nationally 80% of school’s do. That’s 8 out of every 10 children! This funding will take an enormous amount of pressure of whanau, children and schools to fund the needs of their pupils.

“Unfortunately,” he continued, “there is a lot of uninformed comment around the scheme especially in relation to camps.  I urge all principals to read the actual requirements for the scheme themselves, instead of just listening to uninformed talk. There is really nothing new in the requirements, that has not been in fact law, previous to this scheme. The only real difference is the government is now funding the law.”

Pat Newman ended by saying, “I’m one of the first to hold the government to account around the needs of our kids, so I am really pleased to be angle to applaud them as well.”

(ENDS)

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