The Government has announced plans to fast-track a programme of new classrooms at a number of schools and a new school in Auckland.
Education Minister Erica Standford said this morning the government had freed up $100 million for areas across the country with growing school rolls.
“We can now provide an additional 67 teaching spaces in Auckland and in the Kaupapa Māori Education network to help meet growing demand,” Stanford said.
The largest project to be fast-tracked was a new 600-student primary school in Massey, which would include two satellite learning support spaces for Arohanui School.
Stanford said work on the school’s first stage of three would be able to begin this year, with the aim of opening by term one 2027.
She said the school would use a “repeatable” design that would be almost identical to other planned new schools.
Ormiston Senior College’s 18-classroom expansion would be fast-tracked, including associated administration spaces and an expanded staff room.
The other project to be fast-tracked was a two-storey block of 10 new classrooms for Scott Point Primary School.
For the Kaupapa Māori Education network, Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Koutu in Rotorua was set to receive two new classrooms.
Four new senior school classrooms and a permanent site were planned to be built for Te Kura Kaupapa o Hawaiki Hou in Gisborne.
“For Te Kura Kaupapa o Hawaiki Hou, this means moving from an unsuitable learning environment they have leased for seven years,” Stanford said.
Manutuke School in Gisborne would get three new classrooms.
Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Whakarewa I Te Reo Ki Tuwharetoa in Taupō would get two new classrooms.
Stanford said detailed planning for all projects was underway, with construction to begin soon after.
“Our priority is to get these projects delivered as quickly and efficiently as possible so that students, teachers and communities benefit sooner,” she said.
Stanford said the money was able to be freed by “accelerating and improving the cost-effectiveness of new builds using standard designs and offsite manufacturing”.
“With a 35% increase in the number of standardised and repeatable designs, we have reduced the price per classroom by 28%.
“This Government is focused on raising student achievement and closing the equity gap and to do that our children need warm, safe and dry classrooms. Our drive for efficiency and good value for money is delivering more of these classrooms across New Zealand.”
Stanford said she expected to make a similar announcement for the South Island within the next couple of months.
