Hipkins Chris: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeHipkins Chris: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 02 July 2014. Volume:700;Page:19126. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]10.CHRIS HIPKINS (Labour—Rimutaka)to the Minister of Education: Is she satisfied that schools receive sufficient funding to deliver the New Zealand curriculum?Hon HEKIA PARATA (Minister of Education):Yes. The Government is fully funding the delivery of the school curriculum. Over the last six Budgets we have increased operational grants by more than $600 million which has been in line with inflation and which is made as a cash grant to schools for them to use as they decide. The Government is now investing $10.1 billion in Vote Education—the highest ever. We have also invested nearly $700 million in digital learning infrastructure and this year a further $284 million in new school buildings. Parents have paid extra when they particularly want something different and on top of the curriculum as part of their children’s schooling and that is a conversation that parents should have with their boards. School donations are not compulsory. If a school community does not agree that a donation should be requested then parents can make their voices heard. If they decide they do want it it is unreasonable for other taxpayers to foot the additional bill.Chris Hipkins: Has she discussed the matter of school donations with the Minister of Finance Bill English who claimed in Opposition that without parental donations schools were screwed and who has done absolutely nothing as Minister of Finance to do anything about it?Hon HEKIA PARATA: I have had several very helpful discussions with the Minister of Finance about what we are doing in education and over the last 3 years—and certainly over 6 years—we have seen that budget increase from $7.5 billion to $10.1 billion.Chris Hipkins: Why have parental donations to schools gone up to nearly $100 million a year under this National Government if the funding is keeping pace with the rising costs of educating kids?Hon HEKIA PARATA: Parents are highly aspirational and as reported by schools themselves the donations that are made across the country amount to 1.8 percent of all funding into schools.Chris Hipkins: Has she seen the comment from former Principals’ Federation president Paul Drummond who stated: “No school is collecting donations to make money. They have to balance their expenditure … donations are critical and the margins for schools are tight. Their discretionary spend is becoming less discretionary and more necessary.”; if so why after 6 years in office has the National Government done nothing to ease the pressure on schools seeking supposedly voluntary donations from parents?Hon HEKIA PARATA: I have not seen that particular comment by Mr Drummond but I cannot see how raising Vote Education from $7.5 billion to $10.1 billion—the highest ever—constitutes doing nothing according to that member’s numeracy.Chris Hipkins: Has she seen the comments from Mount Maunganui College principal Russell Gordon: “Donations are important because they help us bridge the gap. For example last year we spent over $160000 on computer technology and the government only paid $30000 of that. We are living in a world where students live and breathe technology so they have to have a modern learning environment.”; if so once again why are parents being asked to stump up more and more of that money while the Government does nothing about it?Hon HEKIA PARATA: I have not seen that particular comment either but what I do know is that we have invested—Chris Hipkins: She doesn’t read much.Hon HEKIA PARATA: Well I do not spend my time trawling newspapers; I spend it looking at the evidence and what the evidence says is—[Interruption] Yes I am sorry that that is a surprise to members of the Opposition. That is why we have spent $700 million—$700 million—on digital technology infrastructure alone. We have already got nearly 500 schools connected and all the rest that wish to be connected will be by 2016. That is the best any Government has ever done in investing in and raising technology across the board for all schools. I am proud of us.