About 60 school principals, teachers, support staff and union delegates have met in Christchurch to petition the Government not to cut their school budgets.
Since the 22 February earthquake, some 3500 pupils have left the city leading to funding cuts of up to 20% for schools in some of the worst-affected areas.
The jobs of 167 teachers are to go and more than 300 support staff could be made redundant.
Teacher aide Michelle Palmer says now is the worst time to be losing resources as pupils are traumatised and need all the extra support they can get.
She and others at the meeting on Thursday called for the Government to leave funding at pre-quake levels for 2012 until migration in and out of Christchurch settles down.
