Education Minister, Erica Stanford, has announced $10 million to deliver 14 new teaching spaces across the lower North Island.
“This investment will ensure students have the space they need to learn, and that schools can respond to growing rolls,” Ms Stanford says.
The $10 million growth package for lower North Island schools includes classrooms for:
- Feilding High School – 2 classrooms;
- Paraparaumu College – 6 classrooms;
- Wainuiomata High School – 4 classrooms.
Ms Stanford said the investment will also provide two new technology spaces at Mount Cook School in Wellington.
“These schools have been under pressure from growing student numbers. Delivering these classrooms will ease that pressure and support better environments for teaching and learning,” she said.
The Minister said today’s announcement brings the total number of new classrooms funded in the lower North Island to 153 over the past three years and nearly 1,400 across New Zealand.
“As a result of this, more students will be learning in new, warm, safe, dry classrooms.”
“The Government has been able to deliver more bang for buck by improving the way school property is planned and built.
“Since July 2024, the average cost of a classroom has reduced significantly by using standard designs, off-site manufacturing, and making better use of existing assets. This has resulted in $300 million worth of savings that have been reinvested into the education sector.
“This means our funding is going further than it did before, and even more classrooms can be delivered.”
Eight schools will also receive significant upgrade and redevelopment funding to address long-standing condition issues:
- Hutt Valley High School in Lower Hutt
- Mana College in Porirua
- Porirua School in Porirua
- Porritt School in Napier
- Raureka School in Hastings
- Te Paepae o Aotea in Hāwera
- Waiopehu College in Levin
- Waipukurau School in Waipukurau
“These schools have been dealing with aging buildings that are no longer fit for purpose. This investment will allow us to fix those issues and bring facilities up to a standard that students and staff expect,” says Ms Stanford.
