No blank cheque, Carter to tell principals

Education Minister Chris Carter says he's going to tell rebellious principals the Government hasn't got a blank cheque for school funding.

A group of Auckland principals has withdrawn support for the new Schools Plus programme, which aims to keep students in education or training until they are 18, in protest against what it says is inadequate operational funding.

They're being backed by teacher unions who say schools are increasingly forced to rely on donations from parents to buy computers and other essential equipment.

Mr Carter said he was going to meet the Post Primary Teachers Association today and the Auckland principals on Friday.

"There isn't a blank cheque out there," he said on Radio New Zealand.

"I'm well aware of the pressures in the sector and we're going to sit down and discuss it.

"What I'm going to remind them is the budget didn't have $171 million for operational grants - it had $1.8 billion for teachers salaries."

Schools were given a 5 per cent increase in operational funding but they want at least 10 per cent.

Mr Carter said his priority was teachers.

"My colleagues were happy about that...it's a little bit frustrating to hear all these complaints now."

- NZPA