Around $53.5 million will be invested in school property in Tauranga, Hamilton and Hawke's Bay as part of Budget 2016.

Education Minister Hekia Parata made the announcement at Welcome Bay School in Tauranga today.

Education Minister Hekia Parata, pictured here with Todd Muller at Welcome Bay School, is in Tauranga today to announced funding for a new school. Photo: Andrew Campbell.

The investment includes: $18 million for a new school in the Pyes Pa area (planned roll of 650) and $2.5 million for six roll growth classrooms – two each at Oropi School, Welcome Bay School and Maungatapu School.

In Hamilton, around $25 million is being allocated for Sylvester Primary School, to be built under a public private partnership (planned roll of 700) and $4 million will be spent to expand Endeavour Primary School to cater for a roll of 600 (up from 400 currently).

Hawke's Bay will see $4 million for eight new classrooms. This will include four new classrooms at Havelock North Primary School and two new classrooms each for Te Mata School and Lucknow School.

'This is a significant investment which will ensure local schools can accommodate growth and provide students with learning environments that enable them to achieve to the best of their potential,” says Hekia.

'As with other parts of New Zealand, Tauranga, Hamilton and Hawke's Bay are all experiencing population growth.

'With that population growth comes increases in school rolls, so this investment is about staying ahead of schools' need for more quality learning spaces.”

Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller was with Hekia today at Welcome Bay School as she announced the Government's commitment to increase the capacity of schools in the Bay of Plenty electorate.

'It's great to see Budget 2016 investing around $20.5 million in a new school and six new classrooms here in the Bay of Plenty," he says.

'With the high number of enrolments in our schools we have been signalling that more investment will be needed. Budget 2016 delivers on this and then some.

'Funding will allow for six new classrooms – two each at Oropi School, Welcome Bay School, and Maungatapu School," says Todd.

'The Ministry of Education has been working closely with the schools to ensure the investment works in with their projected growth and plans for the schools.

'We are also excited a new school will be built in the Pyes Pa area, allowing for 650 new places for children to learn and flourish.

'There is significant growth in the primary school-aged population in Tauranga, especially in new housing areas in the Pyes Pa and the Lakes subdivisions where the new school will be.

'We have already seen significant expansions at Papamoa College and Golden Sands School, to enable them to accommodate more students.

'The new school and classrooms will provide flexible spaces and innovative learning environments for even more students.

'Budget 2016 is ensuring Kiwi communities have the school infrastructure they need to ensure children and families have access to a good quality education," says Todd.

Associate Minister of Education Nikki Kaye says today's announcement follows recent school expansions and new schools to address local population growth.

'In Hamilton, we've seen the building of new schools such as Endeavour School, Rototuna Junior High School and Rototuna Senior High School.

'In the Bay of Plenty, Papamoa College and Golden Sands School have undergone significant expansions to enable them to accommodate more students.

'In Tauranga, we've seen Otumoetai School, Bellevue School, Bethlehem School, Te Wharekura o Mauao and Brookfield School all get new classrooms, and schools such as Pillans Point School are also on-track for additional classrooms.

'Today's announcement reflects a continued commitment to regions right across New Zealand. We know there's growth happening in places such as Tauranga, and we're investing to ensure these places have the capacity and facilities needed to deliver a quality education.

'In the last week alone we've announced around half a billion dollars of investments in Wellington, Canterbury, Auckland, Northland and now Tauranga, Hamilton and Hawke's Bay.

'Budget 2016 is about ensuring that towns and cities have good quality school infrastructure, and parents have access to local schools."

Tauranga's booming economy and growing population is set to benefit from this year's Budget with more than $20 million being spent on a new school and extra classrooms, says local MP Simon Bridges.

It was announced in the Budget that Tauranga had been identified as a high growth area and one where demand for more classrooms was high.

Taurnaga MP Simon Bridges says the announcement is great news for Tauranga and the families of Pyes Pa, the Lakes and other nearby suburbs which are growing at a fast rate.

In addition to the new school, $2.6m has been allocated for two new classrooms each at Oropi School, Welcome Bay School and Maungatapu Primary School.

Other schools including Pillans Point Primary and Matua Primary have already had provision for new classrooms made.

'I have been working hard for the people in this electorate," says Simon.

'We know how fast our city is growing and the need to accommodate more students in our schools. I have met with several of our principals and have been campaigning for this funding, which will help alleviate some of the pressures of the fast growth in some of our suburbs.”

The new school will be built on a 5.2 Hectare site on Kennedy Rd and once completed will have a planned roll of about 650 students.