RWC schools scheme 'chance to inspire kids'

Labour Party MP Sue Moroney felt the money could be better spent, given times were tight. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The Government is spending more than a quarter of a million dollars funding a Rugby World Cup programme for young school children.

The educational programme, which includes an activity book with learning activities based on the tournament and an accompanying teachers' guide, will be delivered to all primary and intermediate schools in July.

It has cost the Government, through the NZ 2011 Office, $292,800, or 61c a child - an amount criticised by some as "ill-advised spending" that could have been better spent on other school programmes.

Rugby World Cup 2011 director Leon Grice said the programme was designed to help get children and their families involved in the Cup - an event that was expected to grip the nation in coming months.

"I think it would be a horrendously missed opportunity if we didn't inspire kids by what's actually going to be the biggest event in our country at the end of the year."

He said he still remembers learning about the 1974 Commonwealth Games in school as an 11-year-old and wants today's children to be just as inspired as he was then.

"The Rugby World Cup is going to be on every television screen for the best part of 2 months ... and it's going to have a huge impact on communities and in the consciousness of New Zealand.

"If we don't leverage that and inspire kids ... we will have missed a massive opportunity for a quarter of a million dollars."

Mr Grice believed 61c a child was "pretty cost-effective spending" in the scheme of things.

However, Ian Leckie, president of the education sector union NZEI, said teachers didn't need to be "spoon-fed resources" in order for children to be involved the event.

"Three hundred thousand dollars goes a long way in terms of learning programmes that need all the support to target the resources to the right place.

"It's probably another example, like National Standards, where they are putting huge amounts of money into things that aren't lifting achievement and aren't making a difference for learning - it's ill-advised spending."

Labour education spokeswoman Sue Moroney also felt the money could be better spent, given times were tight.

Principals' Federation president Peter Simpson welcomed the resource saying it was a good way of getting kids interested in learning - and well worth the money.

"It's in our backyard and the opportunity for school children to be involved is just so exciting. I think they have done a great job in putting the material together.

"I think it is a good spend of government money from the perspective that it's an investment in the learning of the nation's future."

He said the resource wasn't just for learning about the World Cup.

"It's all the skills and attitudes and processes that the children get to do that is their learning, it's not just about the resource. Any investment in children and their learning is a great investment in my opinion."