The Government’s Budget 2026 announcement was criticised by secondary teachers’ union PPTA Te Wehengarua for leaving schools further behind, with operating grants rising below inflation and deepening long-term funding pressures.
The union says the Government is increasing operations funding by just 2%, while inflation is forecast at 3.2%, effectively widening the gap between costs and funding.
According to figures referenced in Budget 2026 documentation, school funding has now fallen significantly behind inflation since 2021, creating an estimated 13% shortfall.
Chris Abercrombie, president of PPTA Te Wehengarua, says the funding gap is placing growing pressure on schools, which are increasingly reliant on fundraising and community contributions to cover essential costs such as power bills, maintenance, and student activities.
He warned that schools are already stretching limited budgets, with many turning to parents and local communities for contributions toward uniforms, sports travel, and infrastructure upgrades. He argued that this trend risks widening inequality between schools serving different communities.
While the Budget includes new funding for vocational education and increased trade academy places, critics say it falls short without corresponding investment in teacher supply and training.
The Government has allocated $20 million for professional learning and development for secondary teachers to support curriculum and qualification changes, but the union argues this equates to only a small amount per teacher once relief staffing costs are included.
They compare this with earlier funding rounds, arguing that previous allocations in primary education delivered significantly higher per-teacher investment, highlighting what they see as an imbalance in priorities.
Chris Abercrombie also noted that while no additional funding was directed toward charter schools, he welcomed increased attention to vocational pathways, provided that workforce capacity issues are addressed.
Education sector stakeholders say the overall Budget signals ongoing fiscal restraint, and warn that without inflation-linked adjustments, schools will continue to rely heavily on community support to maintain basic operations.
Union leaders argue that sustainable funding is essential if schools are to deliver new curriculum changes effectively while maintaining core services such as staffing, infrastructure maintenance, and student wellbeing support.
With Budget 2026 now confirmed, PPTA Te Wehengarua says it will continue advocating for inflation-linked increases to school operating grants and improved investment in teacher supply to prevent further erosion of educational quality.
At the same time, it is calling for greater transparency around how funding is allocated across secondary and primary education, arguing that disparities between sectors are becoming increasingly difficult to justify.
Teachers say the issue is not only about short-term budgets but about long-term system sustainability, particularly as schools face rising operational costs and increased expectations from communities and government alike.
Without meaningful adjustment to funding levels, they warn that pressure will continue to shift onto families, boards of trustees, and local fundraising efforts, potentially reshaping the character of public education in Aotearoa New Zealand. The union says urgent action is required to ensure equitable access to quality education for all students across the whole country.
