Budget 24

Vote Education

The Minister of Finance delivered Budget 24, today.

In total, this year’s Vote Education package adds around $2.9 billion over the next 4 years to improve student outcomes.

The additional funding increases the total investment in schools and early childhood education by 3.6% in the coming year to $19.1 billion. The total includes $429 million of savings found within Vote Education that have been redirected to higher priority frontline areas within education.

Key investments made in the Budget include an additional:

$1.5 billion for education property.
$478 million for Ka Ora Ka Ako to continue the Healthy School Lunches Programme for 2 more years, including $8 million to introduce a targeted early childhood food programme.
$199 million over 4 years including a 3% increase for Schools Equity and Isolation Index based components and a 2.5% increase for the remaining components of school operating grants.
$191 million over 4 years for a cost adjustment of 2% to the Early Childhood Education (ECE) subsidy for under 2-year-olds, ECE subsidy for 2-year-olds and over, 20 Hours ECE, and Equity Funding.
$163 million over 4 years to support digital services in schools, including cyber security and equipment replacement.
$153 million over 4 years to establish Charter Schools | Kura Hourua.
$67 million over 4 years for the implementation of structured literacy in all state primary schools.
$53 million over 4 years for teacher supply, retention and attraction initiatives.
$45 million over 4 years to support the rapid increase in numbers of students that require English for Speakers of Other Languages support.
$32 million for Holidays Act remediation for school employees, based on an updated estimate of liability.
$15 million over 4 years to increase funding for the School High Health Needs Fund.
$14 million over 4 years to support the ongoing delivery of Ikura Period products in schools programme.
$13 million over 4 years to provide sustainable funding to Playcentres.