Source: New Zealand Government
The Government is continuing to deliver school infrastructure better, investing around $300 million into repairing and upgrading 33 schools facing some of the most challenging property conditions in the country.
“For too long, these schools have been left waiting with no certainty about when their much-needed redevelopment would begin. We are turning around the delivery of school property by driving efficiencies, transparency and better communication so more schools, communities and children benefit sooner,” Education Minister Erica Stanford says.
“This investment is getting spades in the ground, addressing the backlog of unfunded condition-related projects that we inherited to ensure more children can learn in a safe, warm, and dry environments.”
The first tranche is an $87 million investment across seven schools with the most urgent need:
- 4 refurbished classrooms and resource space at Dargaville High School
- 15 refurbished and strengthened classrooms at Albany Junior High School
- 9 replacement classrooms, library and resource space at Rangitoto College
- 9 refurbished and strengthened classrooms at Alfriston College, including interim seismic strengthening of classrooms scheduled in future stages
- 10 replacement classrooms and admin space at Onslow College
- 9 replacement and roll growth classrooms at Newlands College
- Admin block replacement and seismic strengthening of the hall at Mairehau High School
Construction on all projects will begin in the next 12 months. They have undergone a rigorous value-for-money review, identifying over $54 million in savings through practical and efficient delivery methods. Further tranches will be announced once further due diligence and planning progresses.
“This is about fairness, transparency, and getting ahead of the curve. We’re investing smarter. By using modular construction and standardised designs, we’re delivering faster, more cost-effective solutions without compromising quality.”
Further to this, up to $30 million of roll growth funding will deliver 16 new teaching spaces at Wellington High School, including 10 specialist classrooms.
“Given the constrained site, a three-storey, 16 classroom teaching block meets the school’s capacity needs, and allows us to get shovels in the ground faster.
The investment is part of a broader plan for the school to address property needs in a staged and prioritised approach. Construction on the new classrooms is due to begin in December 2025 with the aim of being completed by early 2027.
“We’re getting spades in the ground sooner and building a long-term pipeline that gives communities across the country certainty about their school’s future,” Ms Stanford says.
