Anger at Enviroschools cuts

BY JODEAL CADACIO

Education budget cuts will close down the Enviroschool programme in six schools on the North Shore.

The issue angered Shore councillors after it was brought to their attention at this month’s meeting of the infrastructure and environment committee.

The council’s environmental services suggested the council foot the $50,000 annual bill to keep Enviroschools running at Bayswater Primary, Glenfield Primary, Takapuna Primary, Willow Park Primary, Manuka Primary and Rangitoto College.

Those Enviroschools were supported by education for sustainability advisers from Auckland University and funded by the Education Ministry.

The government recently announced cuts to the ministry’s funding starting in January 2010 for the programme that aims to raise students’ awareness about sustainability programmes to protect the environment.

The council has been funding the programme in 24 schools across the Shore for the past 10 years.

Council sustainable environment team leader Trish Kirkland-Smith said an option to sustain the programme in the affected schools would be for the council to pick up the funding slack.

But councillor Ann Hartley said by doing this, the council would be "letting the government off the hook".

"The government has made a political decision to save money at the expense of Enviroschools. I don’t think we should pick this one up," she said.

Councillor Grant Gillon said there had been many policy changes made by central government with dire effects on local councils.

The committee voted to register its strong objections to the budget cuts and for council officers to come up with a list of "programmes that have been reduced, ceased or negatively impacted upon by recent changes to government policy".

North Shore Principals Association president Pam King says it’s unfair that the six schools are disadvantaged just because of their provider.

"It seems unreasonable that the government would not see the funding for Enviroschools as a priority," she says.

"Rather than reducing funding in this vital area of education, they should be increasing it because more and more schools are putting their hands up to join the Enviroschools programme."

- © Fairfax NZ News