Farm Safety Improves Through 'Incremental Gain', Says Birkett
Improving health and safety is about incremental gain rather than a sudden decision, says Leeston farmer and Federated Farmers health and safety spokesman David Birkett.
The conveyance allowance is a payment made to parents and caregivers to contribute toward the cost of getting students to school or to the nearest school bus stop.
For rural families whose school bus routes were cancelled before the Ministry of Education paused further changes in March, it is often the only financial support available to meet the cost of getting children to school.
First Increase In Nearly Four Decades
The increase is the first since 1985 and will remain in place for 12 months or until fuel prices drop below $3 per litre for four consecutive weeks.
Education Minister says the fuel price volatility, caused by Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, is hitting some schools harder than others.
She says those particularly impacted are the schools reliant on diesel and schools where students face longer distances when travelling to and from school.
“Our priority is to ensure students are attending school and are engaged in their learning. Recently, I directed the Ministry of Education to contact every single school to understand the impact of fuel cost pressures on their individual circumstances so that targeted, temporary and timely responses can be designed.
“As a result of this engagement, we are rolling out interim support for the schools most likely to experience challenges from fuel cost-pressures, while simultaneously planning for a range of potential future scenarios.”
"Sensible, Financially Prudent and Targeted Assistance"
Federated Farmers education spokesperson Richard Dawkins says the funding is "sensible, financially prudent and targeted assistance that will make a difference for rural schools".
"The huge spike in fuel prices - particularly diesel - from the Middle East conflict has hit rural schools particularly hard," Dawkins says.
"Students and teachers in rural areas face longer distances when travelling to and from school.
"Smaller rural schools have the same or similar fixed costs to much bigger schools but when your roll is a couple of dozen, vs 200-300-plus, dividing costs that are per-pupil based across that smaller roll is a lot tougher."
Ongoing Uncertainty for Rural Families
RWNZ Education Policy Action Advisory Group Convenor, Frances Beeston says that while the increase in the conveyance allowance is a welcome step, her organisation is keen to see policy review progress.
Recent changes to the Ministry for Education's school bus routes have made getting to school more difficult for rural families.
"The cancellation of rural school bus routes is death by a thousand cuts for rural communities. It is not just about getting children to school, it is about the long-term health and wellbeing of the communities we live and work in,” Beeston says.
RWNZ says it has been working closely with Federated Farmers and the NZ Rural Schools Leadership Association calling for a review of school bus routes and eligibility criteria.
