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Source: Breakfast -
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Parents are concerned their children will miss out on sporting opportunities unless they can find the cash to pay for expensive equipment.
Schools receive funding from the Government to support physical education during class time but it is often left up to parents to cover the costs for extra-curricular sports.
Wellington mother Lynette Tyrrell said it can be a struggle for parents to cover all the necessary costs associated with sports, such as equipment and transport, especially for single-income families.
Tyrrell's son is helping fund raise the $30,000 needed to send his rowing team to Canada later this year to compete in the World Rowing Sprints.
"It's quite a bit of money to fund raise and the boys have been doing a lot of fund-raising like sausage sizzles, and socials," Tyrrell told TVNZ's Breakfast this morning.
"These trips can be really life changing. The parents are going to do whatever it takes and the boys want to do whatever it takes."
Physical Education New Zealand advisor Libby Paterson said sport has become very expensive but schools are generally able to find funding to ensure students do not miss out.
Paterson told Breakfast the national curriculum clearly states schools should ensure all students have the opportunity to participate in sport to the highest level of their interest and ability.
"Many schools are successfully using their Ministry of Education funding so that they can participate in events where neither the school nor the parents can afford the opportunities."
She said there is also money in the community that schools can draw on.
Community sports teams are able to apply for a range of grants from gambling funding organisations such as Aotearoa sports funding and NZ Lotteries.
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Post new commentWorked out said on 2012-06-27 @ 10:42 NZDT: Report abusive post
There has always been inequality in the access to sports. It's the way of the world. Harden up.