A $777 million in capital investment in education will mean new schools and kura, more classrooms, and includes $219m in capital funding that will go directly to schools over the next nine years to spend on replacing furniture and equipment, Education Minister, Chris Hipkins said today.
“This builds on the $2.8 billion this Government had already invested in the school property portfolio since 2018, including $400m across 2,054 schools in the School Investment Package and $294m in the Christchurch Schools Rebuild programme,” he said.
“During this time, we have also provided funding for a total of 13 new school projects, 15 school expansions, 15 planning and design projects, and funded 1,130 classrooms. Budget 2022 continues this pipeline and aims to fund a further 280 classrooms.
“A further $88 million is also going into the Christchurch School Rebuild programme to continue the good work that is restoring and improving 115 schools across the city. Once complete, this programme will have constructed 13 new schools, rebuilt 10 schools on their existing sites, fully redeveloped 34 schools and done redevelopment work in 58 schools over a 10 year period.”
He said the government had also provided record investment in kura providing Māori medium education including funding for land purchases, new schools and fit-for-purpose classrooms.
“I’m really proud of the Government’s investment in school property. We are making sure our children and young people have warm, dry and fit for purpose classrooms, that they want to be at school, are learning relevant and interesting things and are supported right through to further study, training and work,” Mr Hipkins said.
Budget 2022 will provide:
- $280 million for the National Education Growth Plan
- $105 million for new classrooms and school sites for kura
- $219 million for schools to replace furniture and equipment
- $85 million for land purchases for new schools
- $88 million to continue the Christchurch School Rebuild programme.
