South Auckland schools ‘knocked again’ as they lose funding in new government model

Schools in one south Auckland suburb are “baffled” after losing funding under a new government model, Stuff reports. Across 158 south Auckland schools, 12 lost funding in the switch from deciles to the equity index (EQI). At least eight of those schools were in Papatoetoe. “We want to know more about how we got our equity numbers,” said Mark Elder, the head of the Papatoetoe Principals’ Association, “but we’ve not been able to get answers. It’s frustrating.” From 2024, Puhinui School alone is set to gradually lose $95,000 in equity index funding.