The 'better funding, better learning' bus tour came to Levin last week to raise awareness and gain support from parents to halt a government proposal for global funding.
Teachers believe the proposal will create larger class sizes, undermining the quality of children's education.
Organised by the New Zealand Educational Institute and Post Primary Teachers Association (NZEI/PPTA), a number of Levin schools, kindergartens and Waiopehu College were visited last Thursday as part of the nationwide tour that started October 10, visiting more than 100 schools and ECE centres between Auckland and Dunedin.
It was a chance for NZEI Levin representatives George West and Helen Hansen to talk to local parents about the proposal and its feared impact, despite assurances from the Ministry of Education that more has been spent on funding education under the National Government.
Mr West said 99 per cent of educators at NZEI/PPTA meetings voted to reject global or bulk funding.
"We've already seen it in early childhood education, which is bulk-funded and has now faced an effective funding freeze for five years. The funding of our education system is [already] inadequate."
Under global funding schools would receive 'credits' for staffing costs and 'cash' for non-staff costs. It would be up to school boards to determine the split between credits and cash needed for the year. Schools that were cash-strapped could be tempted to 'trade-off' between the number of teachers they employ and other non-teaching costs, NZEI/PPTA members fear.
Mr West said they collected 548 signatures for their petition and 755 signed cards that will be sent to Minister of Education Hekia Parata.
"The day was really positive. We got a lot of great feedback from people," said Mr West.
"The majority of people were quite happy to come up and talk to us about it. They could see the bus, which was high profile."
He said parents valued support staff and thought they were already underpaid, and were concerned about the prospect of larger classes.
"We are trying to put pressure on the Minister to reconsider her position on this," said Mr West.
Levin East principal Hamish Ruawai said he wanted to make sure "they get the best teachers in front of our kids".
"Teachers are our greatest resource. I believe [global funding will let] people pick and choose what kind of teachers they put in front of their kids and use the money for other resources."
Minister of Education Hekia Parata said there is no funding freeze.
"Funding has gone up by 35 per cent for schooling, while Early Childhood Education funding has more than doubled under a National Government. "This is a fact. The unions can say what they like, but our total investment in education is now more than $11 billion annually."
"Lifting achievement and the best interests of our children and young people are at the heart of everything we do and at the heart of the current funding review. Every child is unique and has different needs, which means that every school has different challenges. It is the principal who determines the actual size of the class, not the Government."
Mrs Parata said the review is exploring how the funding system could be improved and global funding is one of seven proposals for consultation in the first round of the funding review.
"It is a delivery mechanism not a means of determining how much funding. "We will absolutely listen to teachers and parents."