A nationwide programme to upgrade small and remote schools has completed its 800th school transformation, Education Minister, Erica Stanford, has confirmed.
In September last year, the Government announced an extension of the programme, with additional funding of $175 million to upgrade more schools.
In total, 934 schools will receive upgrades including vinyl flooring, carpet, heating, and improvements to the outside of their school buildings including windows, roofing, cladding, and asbestos removal. The work is expected be completed by the end of summer 2028/29.
“The work of the Small Schools Upgrade Programme | Ngā Iti Kahurangi has benefited thousands of students around the country and reduced the burden of maintenance for busy school principals and school boards,” said Minister Stanford.
“When we came into office school property maintenance was failing to keep pace with need and classrooms in Kura had suffered from a lack of investment over decades.
The programme has so far seen the installation of:
- 74,000 efficient LED lights;
- 89,000 acoustic panels to reduce classroom noise;
- 5,700 bales of ceiling insulation;
- 201,000 square metres of carpet with built-in underlay to improve warmth;
- 57,000 residual current devices (RCDs) to make schools safer by meeting electrical safety standards for power outlets.
“This is about creating warm, safe, dry classrooms for our children and young people to learn in and thrive,” said Minister Stanford.
“Principals are telling me these upgrades are making a significant difference to the school environment.”
The principal of a Nelson-Marlborough school, which has received upgrades, says the work happened much faster than anticipated.
“For a busy school this is a great result – it’s also great for me not to have any extra management roles to undertake.”
A list of schools is available at Ngā iti Kahurangi – improving classrooms in small or remote schools – Ministry of Education.
