2 days ago
Govt announces new classrooms in Auckland, school property management agency
The Government says more than $120 million from Budget 2025 will be used to help build 137 more classrooms in Auckland, to keep up with "the city's rapid growth".
Education Minister Erica Stanford made the announcement alongside Minister for Auckland Simeon Brown at Northcross Intermediate School on Auckland's North Shore today.
"Through Budget 25 funding, 137 new classrooms will be rolled out, creating space for an additional 3014 student places in the network, supporting schools with growing rolls," she said.
The schools getting classrooms are:
Bucklands Beach Intermediate – 2 classrooms
Helensville School – 1 classroom
Kauri Flats School – 4 classrooms
Lincoln Heights School – 6 classrooms
Macleans College – 8 classrooms
Massey High School – 8 classrooms
Mission Heights Primary School – 6 classrooms
Mountain View School – 6 classrooms
Northcross Intermediate – 8 classrooms
One Tree Hill College – 6 classrooms
Orewa College – 12 classrooms
Panama Road School – 4 classrooms
Papakura Normal School – 10 classrooms (in addition to the two learning support classrooms already announced)
Papatoetoe Central School – 4 classrooms
Papatoetoe East School – 4 classrooms
Papatoetoe Intermediate – 6 classrooms
Papatoetoe South School – 6 classrooms
Puhinui School – 2 classrooms
Pukekohe North School – 4 classrooms
Rangitoto College – 10 classrooms
Te Kura o Pātiki Rosebank School – 4 classrooms
Takanini School – 4 classrooms
Tuakau College – 6 classrooms
Whenuapai School – 6 classrooms
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She said Auckland was "booming" and the Government was "stepping up by investing heavily in extra classrooms to support the city's rapid growth".
Construction was expected to begin in the next 12 months.
A hundred million dollars poured into a new Auckland school and expansion in others. (Source: 1News)
"We are getting on with the job of future-proofing Auckland's school network to keep pace with population growth.
Brown said Auckland was a "magnet for talent, with thousands of people moving to our largest city each year to build a better life for themselves and their families".
"Ensuring that our city has the services and infrastructure for growth is a priority for our Government," he said.
"The Government's investment in new classrooms for our young learners will help Auckland accommodate growth, while also supporting construction sector jobs across the region."
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A site had been purchased in Pōkeno to build a new primary school, while a new junior college would be established on the site of Chapel Downs Primary School.
Earlier this week, the Government scrapped open-plan Modern Learning Environments following feedback the flexible layout classrooms with fewer walls and often more teachers were not meeting the needs of students.
"We have listened to the sector, and new classrooms will no longer be open plan," Stanford said.
Also today the Government said it would also establish a new entity separate from the Ministry of Education to manage school property.
The New Zealand School Property Agency (NZSPA), a new Crown agent, would be responsible for planning, building, maintaining and administrating the school property portfolio.
The Ministry of Education would remain responsible for education policy and network decisions, including where growth was required.
"This separation will allow the Ministry to focus on education outcomes, while the board of NZSPA will be responsible for the school property portfolio," Stanford said.
Stanford announced earlier this week that two schools in Wellington were also in line for more classrooms.
Newlands Intermediate would get 10 new classrooms, while Aotea College would receive 16.
