How selected primary schools in rural New Zealand manage their financial resources of limited government funding in order to effectively meet their schools objectives

This study evaluates the extent to which primary schools in a region of New Zealand are challenged by limited funds to enable the effective management and performance of their school. The study involved interviews with school principals and analysis of their schools＇ financial statements. The aim of this project is to gain a current understanding of the issues and challenges facing primary schools in a defined region （Waikato） to see whether the trends identified in national research studies, confirms the problem that schools are underfunded. The results of the current study identified the issues experienced by the Waikato schools and in most cases supported previous research findings. The findings of the current study also suggest that schools share the dilemmas associated with limited government funding and rely significantly on local funding sources to achieve their basic objectives. Although schools may be effective in the management of their school objectives, there is more government funding required to relieve the pressures and challenges.