Dear Editor
Re: New Zealand gives NZ$14m to support Tonga education
Thank you for your article published on the Matangi Tonga website, "NZ gives NZ$14m to support Tonga education". I would like to clarify the situation with regard to financial support for the salaries of teachers in non-government schools. The Ministry of Education is currently investigating options for helping to improve the salaries of teachers in these schools. The High Commission understands that one of the options being explored by the Government is topping up salaries for these teachers. However, a position on this has not yet been finalised. Furthermore, any salary top ups would be financed by the Government of Tonga and not through NZAID funding. Some of the NZAID financing for education will flow to non-government schools through a proposed school grants programme, which will be designed with assistance from the World Bank as a means to improve the quality of schooling throughout Tonga.
Yours sincerely
Jonathan Curr
Deputy High Commissioner
New Zealand High Commission
Nuku'alofa
Jonathan [dot] Curr [at] mfat [dot] govt [dot] nz
