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Schools have used crowdfunding and corporate sponsorship to build and restore playgrounds because public funding does not go far enough, the school directors said.
Playgrounds are the responsibility of the board of directors of a school that uses government operating grants for work.
But there is "so much pressure" on this funding that playgrounds often do not make the cut, said Mark Potter, director of the Berhampore School.
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New Zealand schools do not have to have a playground. For those who choose to include one, the design, construction, upgrades and equipment are provided at the school – as long as it complies with the regulations.
The school has set up a Givealittle page in 2016 to help replace the flooring of its playground. It's one of 17 schools in the country still visible on the platform. online to help fund playground work.
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Among the schools that have recently set up participation funds are Cardinal McKeefry School in Wellington, Karaka Playcentre, Waitakere Elementary School in Auckland for $ 7,000 and Sanson School near Palmerston North. , requires $ 16,000. The other two schools have "open goals".
AMY BAKER / STUFF
Parents helped refurbish the Coatesville School playground in 2017.
Potter added that schools also face additional costs related to gaming materials and contract work, including changes to health and safety regulations. Confidence in school gala days did not accumulate as before and some schools needed help from sponsors.
"It would be nice," but there were many other things that the government should fund directly before the playgrounds, he said.
Whetu Cormick, president of the New Zealand Federation of School Directors (NZPF), said that he was a little surprised that schools are using Givealittle and similar fundraising platforms.
"I remember when I was director in 1996 and that we were being given money by [breakfast cereal company] Hubbards … so I'm not surprised that schools are raising money and looking for business financing. "
Cormick explained that in many New Zealand schools facing financial difficulties, it was still difficult to determine priorities.
The Ministry of Education said that New Zealand schools were not obliged to have a playground. For those who chose to include one, the design, construction upgrades and equipment were the responsibility of the school – as long as it complies with the regulations.
However, Lisette Burrows, a professor of community health at the Faculty of Health, Sport and Human Performance at the University of Waikato, said playgrounds were "more indispensable than ever" to help children develop a sense of community and create friendships.
"It's about creating connected and confident learners, able to engage each other in their environment. Children need a place to meet and lead their "leisure life".
"It's somewhere where they can muscling their physical and mental muscles," she said.
On the South Island, the Marlborough District Council agreed last year to donate money to playground schools, provided that the community can use the facilities after hours and that schools set up signs that people can access the area.
Schools under the new policy were required to cover at least half of the cost of playgrounds and had not received funding from the gaming council for 15 years.
Tania Pringle, president of the Marlborough Elementary School Association and director of Seddon School, said at the time that the ministry was not funding the playground, and that "schools must to collect funds".
However, Kim Shannon, head of infrastructure services at the Ministry of Education, said the government had sometimes provided direct funds to finance these projects.
This included the construction of new schools and the occasional relocation of playgrounds, displaced due to other construction needs.
"We are funding boards of directors to maintain and modernize their schools, which they can use to buy and build playgrounds," Shannon said.
"Schools are free to determine how best to use their spaces to support learning outcomes and playgrounds are only an option."
Many schools have instead chosen to use outdoor spaces to build gardens, bike paths and sports activities, she said.
Wellington City Council co-finances school playgrounds "on a case-by-case basis" and has, over the past decade, donated money to three schools, including the Amesbury School.
Councilor Fleur Fitzsimons said the lack of facilities and services for the community was a big factor in the schools.
"[Playgrounds] are really important, public recreation facilities. We used to improve playgrounds every 20 to 25 years. Now we are improving every 12 to 15 years. "
She stated that this decision depended on the importance of play and recreation for people, especially children.
The council also considered projects such as swimming pools and bike paths – the most recent being $ 500,000 donated to Newtown School to improve its indoor pool and the School Bikes Open to Apps program this month.
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