Two hundred million dollars of Budget funding will go towards a new primary school in Auckland, 200 new classrooms across the area and 24 special education satellite units in Auckland and Northland, the Education Minister announced today.
The Government is pledging to build schools and classrooms for 100,000 children by 2030, as it launches the National Education Growth Plan to identify where new schools or classrooms need to be built.
The new school in Milldale, Wainui would see 370 student places created costing $20m. $155m would go to creating 228 new classrooms in 42 schools in Auckland, $5m for expanding of Hingaia Peninsula Primary School and $20m for 27 new classrooms in nine schools in Northland.
The Budget saw $1.2 billion over four years set aside for school property.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern made the announcement at Hingaia Peninsula School, in south west Auckland.
"We are seeing too many kids getting taught in cold school halls and prefabs and our plan will turn that around," she said.
"It’s important we plan ahead for growth so parents can be confident that they can send their child to their local school, and that their local school will have enough warm, dry and modern classrooms to learn in."
Education Minister Chris Hipkins said the plan is focused on regions that are growing.
"It enables us to take a strategic approach across the whole country and within each region, instead of having to react to population issues school by school.
"We are already experiencing unprecedented growth in the number of school-aged children in parts of the country. This is expected to continue and even increase in some areas over the next decade.
"We know this puts a strain on school space and resources."
He said the Growth Plan showed 60,000 new student places would be needed by 2030 in Auckland and Northland.
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