It was a letter which should have brought great joy to Logan Park High School.
Instead, it brought great anger.
Logan Park High School Adult Community Education co-ordinator Soo Graham was shocked after receiving a letter from Education Minister Anne Tolley congratulating the school on receiving funding for 2010 Adult and Community Education programmes from the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) - three days before the school had finished the application process.
Ms Graham said the school gave an expression of interest in providing 740 adult learner places to the TEC at the end of September.
The school then received confirmation from the TEC they would receive funding for the proposed places as long as they submitted an investment plan policy by 5pm, October 16.
Ms Graham completed the plan online on Thursday, October 15.
However, she was surprised to receive a letter the next day, dated October 13, from the minister saying: ". . . the TEC has advised me that Logan [Park] High School has been successful in its application for ACE funding for 2010 and has been allocated funding for the 740 learner places it applied for.
"I congratulate the school on this success and trust that it will be able to run the programme it has applied for."
Ms Graham was baffled and concerned by the letter.
"What the hell were we jumping through hoops for if it was a foregone conclusion? And why, if our Education Minister has no direct influence over TEC-designated funding, does she already know we are getting it even before the deadline date of applications?
"Ms Graham said Logan Park High School had been very vocal about the Government's cuts to ACE funding, and it appeared the minister was trying to butter up those who protested the loudest.
"I feel extremely sorry for the schools that have been deliberately edged out by this unfair system.
"I certainly feel that because of this ridiculous farce, some really wonderful, adult education co-ordinators have been lost through these unjustified cuts.
"Cronyism in New Zealand politics is alive and well, and sadly Adult and Community Education [ACE] at Logan Park High School has been drawn into it."
Dunedin South Labour MP Clare Curran said there appeared to be a "major abuse of process" in the Ministry of Education office and the minister should be held accountable.
"Why was the minister writing to a school congratulating them on being successful, when she wasn't making the decision - and why was she doing it before the applications had even closed?" Ms Curran asked.
A spokesman for the minister declined to comment because Anne Tolley was acting on information provided by the TEC.
Tertiary Education Commission private training establishment and community education director Pauline Barnes took responsibility for misinforming the minister.
She said the TEC did not make it clear the funding was indicative when the minister sought advice from the TEC about Logan Park High School's situation.
"Under the ACE 2010 funding process, when the TEC offers an indicative allocation, unless the organisation requests a review of the allocation, then it is considered to be what the organisation will receive, pending the confirmation of final contractual details."
It was not unexpected for the minister to comment, she said.
