Almost $117 million will be set aside in the Budget to pay for costs to repair, redevelop or relocate 500 schools in cyclone and flood-affected areas.
Weather-affected schools funding - key points
- $31 million - for "immediate costs" to return cyclone or flood-affected schools to working order. Things such as roof repairs, plumbing work, emergency cleaning and tree removal.
- $85 million - for ongoing work required to return schools to their pre-weather-event state. In some cases, this may require redevelopment or relocation.
- $700,000 - (over two years) to alleviate staffing pressures - will pay for relief teachers, principal/teaching release time, as well as student well-being and engagement support
The announcement is part of a massive pre-budget weather recovery package announced today.
Education Minister Jan Tinetti said the damage done to schools was concerning, but the Government's concern "went well beyond the physical damage to buildings and grounds".
"The impact on students and staff was very much front of mind. Schools are often a hub for local communities, and so the effects were felt widely."
She said the Government was committed to getting all 500 schools affected across the North Island "back to their previous state".
“Budget 2023 provides $31 million to cover the immediate costs associated with returning affected schools to working order following the extreme North Island Weather events. This includes repairs to roofs, plumbing infrastructure, carpentry, tree removal, and emergency cleaning.
“A further $85 million funding has been allocated for the ongoing work required to return schools to their pre-weather-event state. In some cases, this may require redevelopment or relocation.
“Budget 2023 also recognises the ongoing strain on school staff with a further $700,000 over two years for Special Reasons Staffing funding, with $315,000 of that available immediately.
“This funding can be used to employ relief staff, provide teaching/principal release time, support students with engagement and wellbeing, or employ additional teachers for those schools that have experienced increased enrolment due to enrolling students from weather-affected areas.
Tinetti said the funding announced today was on top of other previously announced Government responses, such as 41 more teachers in 56 affected schools.
She said those teachers had been used for a variety of purposes, such as relief for staff unable to access school due to road closures or who were significantly affected personally, as well as providing programmes for affected students.
“We also increased existing ‘Counselling in Schools’ contracts to provide additional support to students, deployed Traumatic Incident Team support, extended Employee Assistance Program support for school, kura and early learning staff, and offered a range of other well-being and funding supports."
About $782,000 had been provided for the replacement of school library collections and related library resources lost due to the North Island weather events that could not be replaced by other funding.
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