PPTA president Angela Roberts said the union is concerned about how surrounding schools might be affected, the New Zealand Herald reported.

The school is within Destiny Church's "City of God" complex in Manukau, and had a roll of 150 last year.

If approved for state integration, it would receive the same government funding for each student as state schools, but retain ownership of its buildings and land.

Integrated schools usually charge compulsory fees called attendance dues to meet property costs.

State-integrated schools teach the national curriculum but keep their own special character - usually a religious or philosophical belief - as part of their school programme.

Destiny Church, led by Bishop Brian Tamaki, has been controversial in the past with its political activities and tithing practices.

Ms Roberts said smaller schools such as Destiny's were relatively expensive to run, which would place more pressure on the wider public school network.

"It's not like they [the ministry] are building a new school because of roll growth - this is something that is going to have an impact on the surrounding schools," Ms Roberts said.

A Destiny spokesperson said integration "will enable us to offer [our] transformational model to more students in Years 0-13 in south Auckland".

Nearby schools are being consulted as part of the application process, an education ministry spokesperson said.

Factors to be taken into account include the impact on other schools in the area, education quality at the school, and the cost of integration, the spokesperson said.

A previous application to integrate the Destiny school in 2009 was rejected.

The school also failed in a bid to be a "charter" or "partnership" school.

It charges tuition fees from $65 to $85 a week and received a $266,000 operations grant from the Ministry of Education, according to its 2011 financial statement.

Source

• New Zealand Herald
• Image: Newstalk ZB

A dispute between the management of Columba College, staff and the PPTA has reached a stand-off, with union no-confidence motions, resignations and board investigations.

The PPTA says it began raising complaints at Columba College a year ago, over the management style of long-standing principal Elizabeth Wilson. Continue reading

The PPTA's list includes a Feilding Church, The Sabbath Rest Adventist Church. Trustee Jill Friar says the church had been interested in the options presented by charter schools but had decided not to make an application this year while charter schools legislation remained before Parliament.

Asked if she thought taxpayer money should be allocated to schools teaching creationism, Mrs Friar responded it was tantamount to funding secular schools to teach evolution.

"Look at the state school system - they teach evolution as if it's a fact and it's not a fact. Even scientists say it's a theory, so what's the difference at the end of the day? Why should we teach evolution as if it were a fact when there is a theory that is an alternative?" Mrs Friar said.

"It's education and caring for children that is important - to me that's what the argument should be all about."

PPTA president Angela Roberts said taxpayer cash should not go to schools teaching creationism.

"They have the right to teach that in their school, of course, but they have no right to do that with money for the public education system."

The Education Amendment Bill passed its second reading in Parliament last week, paving the way for the controversial schools to open in 2014.

Next year the Government will spend $19 million on establishing the first charter schools.

Source

• Stuff.co.nz
• The New Zealand Herald
• Image: FaradaySchools.com