Hon Chris Hipkins

Minister of Education

13 August 2019

PĀNUI PĀPĀHO

MEDIA STATEMENT

Waikato and Hawke’s Bay schools to get more than 100 new classrooms

The Government is building new classrooms for around 2,500 students at 42 schools and kura in the Waikato and Hawke’s Bay/Tairāwhiti regions.

Education Minister Chris Hipkins released the Education Growth Plans for the two regions at Rototuna Junior and Senior High Schools this afternoon.

“The plans forecast the need for new classrooms and schools for about 13,500 extra students in some of Waikato and Hawke’s Bay’s highest growth areas by 2030.

“The previous Government didn’t adequately plan for growth and for too long schools have had to make do by using libraries and school halls when their school rolls increased.

“We want New Zealand to be the best place to be a child and that means learning in warm, comfortable and modern classrooms.

“We need to make sure families in some of our fastest growing areas around the country can be confident their local schools will have enough space for their kids.

“Today’s release of the regional growth plans is part of the wider National Education Growth Plan (NEGP) which forecasts that an additional 100,000 new student places are needed across the country by 2030.

“The NEGP is supported by $1.2 billion cash injection for school property in the Wellbeing Budget, giving communities, schools and the construction industry certainty about what new building projects are coming up.

“In the Waikato, Rototuna Junior and Senior High Schools are in line for a combined $16 million expansion, for 500 extra students across the two schools, while 30 other Waikato schools will get 79 classrooms, a $42 million investment. This includes three kura who will receive 12 of these new classrooms, and a special school getting one new classroom.

“In the Hawke’s Bay/Tairāwhiti, 10 schools are getting 23 classrooms worth $15 million. This includes eight classrooms for three kura, and a special school receiving four new classrooms,” Chris Hipkins said.

Notes:

More information on the National Education Growth Plan and the Waikato and Hawke’s Bay/Tairāwhiti Growth Plans including the list of schools getting new classrooms can be found here.

More details and phasing of the projects announced today will be made accessible to the construction industry through the Government’s prototype Infrastructure Pipeline on the Interim Infrastructure Unit’s website and the Ministry of Education Forward Construction Pipeline.

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