Hon Erica Stanford
Minister of Education

The Government is enabling more tāmariki access to full immersion learning in safe, warm and dry classrooms.

A $28 million investment will deliver 20 new classrooms across four Māori Medium and Kaupapa Māori Education kura and the commencement of a permanent site for a kura north of Auckland – Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngāringaomatariki. The announcement was made at Takaparawhau, Bastion Point, during Matariki Hautapu celebrations with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei.

“This Matariki, I am proud to be celebrating the Māori New Year with investing in the future of our tāmariki so they have the spaces and support they need to flourish,” Education Minister Erica Stanford says.

The new classrooms will be built at the following kura:

• 8 classrooms at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Ara Whanui in Lower Hutt
• 6 classrooms at Te Wharekura o Arowhenua in Invercargill
• 4 classrooms at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Hokianga in Kaikohe
• 2 classrooms at Te Wharekura o Kirikiriroa in Hamilton

The investment includes the first stage of a long-awaited new school for Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngāringaomatariki in Kaiwaka. Once complete, it will have 19 classrooms and be designed to support future Wharekura expansion.

Construction on these projects is expected to begin within the next 12 months, using modular building methods to accelerate delivery and ensure cost-efficiency.

“Safe, warm and dry learning environments are essential for effective teaching and learning. By using modular construction, we can deliver classrooms more quickly and make our investment go further.”

This Government committed $50 million through Budget 2025 to deliver up to 50 classrooms for Māori Medium and Kaupapa Māori Education for approximately 1,100 ākonga. This is part of a wider programme of investment in Māori Medium and Kaupapa Māori Education.

This includes:

• $10 million to launch a new Virtual Learning Network (VLN) for STEM education (Science, Engineering, Technology and Mathematics).
• $4.5 million to develop comprehensive new te reo matatini and STEM curriculum resources and teacher supports.
• $2.1 million to develop a new Māori Studies subject for Years 11–13.
• $14 million into training and support for up to 51,000 teachers/kaiako.
• $4.8 million to appoint seven new curriculum advisors for Māori Medium and Kaupapa Māori Education.
• $4.1 million to support the sustainability and data capability of the Kōhanga Reo Network.
• $3.5 million to support WAI 3310 Waitangi Tribunal Education Services and Outcomes Kaupapa Inquiry.

“We remain committed to properly resourcing our bilingual education system and lifting achievement for Māori students. That includes ensuring our tāmariki have warm, safe and dry classrooms to thrive in,” Ms Stanford says.

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