WELLINGTON, April 21 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand will provide targeted financial support to small, rural and isolated schools to ease pressure from rising fuel costs, a senior official said.
"Global fuel price volatility is hitting some schools harder than others, particularly those that rely on diesel and where students face longer distances when travelling to and from school," Education Minister Erica Stanford said in a statement late Monday.
The government will invest 37 million NZ dollars to replace diesel boilers at up to 70 schools nationwide, a move expected to cut annual diesel use by about 600,000 liters and protect schools from future fuel price shocks, the statement said.
All schools with under 100 students will receive one-off cash grants of 2,500 NZ dollars, Stanford was quoted as saying.
Transport support will also increase, with mileage reimbursement rates for relief teachers more than doubling and a 30-percent rise in conveyance allowances for eligible families, benefiting around 5,000 students, she said.
The higher mileage rates will apply for up to 12 months or until fuel prices fall below 3 NZ dollars per liter for four consecutive weeks, Stanford added. (1 NZ dollar equals 0.59 U.S. dollar) ■
