Another $138 million for Christchurch schools

Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye say almost $140m is to be spent on the next wave of schools to be repaired and rebuilt in Christchurch.

Cabinet yesterday approved the expenditure of $138 million on Hornby High School, Kaiapoi High School, Banks Avenue School, Linwood College and Cashmere High School. Work at Hornby will begin in September and work on the other four schools will begin next year.

“We’re really pleased with the progress that we’re making in Christchurch and the way that the people have embraced the rebuild,” says Ms Parata.

“Greater Christchurch will have the most modern schooling network in the country, creating a strong platform for learning and achievement in the future.

“In particular this is great news for Cashmere High School, which was originally due to enter the programme in 2018 but has been included in the second wave of rebuilding because of a number of severe issues such as leaky buildings. Bringing Cashmere High forward will be more cost effective and reduce disruption to the school over the long term.”

The second wave of the rebuilding programme is part of the $1.137 billion Greater Christchurch Education Renewal Plan which will see 115 schools remodelled, rebuilt or repaired by 2022.

Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye says there is already considerable work under way on 20 major rebuilds of Christchurch schools.

“Construction has begun on the rebuilds of Rāwhiti School, West Rolleston School, Marshlands School and Waitākiri Primary School. Pegasus Bay School opened in June last year, we’re on track for Halswell School to open this Easter, and building for the new Lyttelton Primary School will get underway in May,” she says.

“There has been a lot of work to ensure projects are on track to be completed on time. Agencies are working hard with communities to rebuild these schools, to ensure the result is more modern learning environments and better facilities for communities.”

Projects in the programme have been grouped into waves commencing each year from 2014 to 2022. Each wave comprises a number of school projects with construction timed to match projected demand as residents return to rebuilt and new suburbs.

Work will begin at Kaiapoi High School in February 2016, Banks Avenue School in March 2016, and Linwood College and Cashmere High School in April 2016.

ends

© Scoop Media