The government will invest about $30 million in school property in the Bay of Plenty as part of Budget 2017.
Details of the investment were announced by Education Minister Nikki Kaye and Associate Education Minister Tim Macindoe who were in town visiting Tauranga's Pillans Point School today.
The investment includes $21m for a new, 400 pupil school in the Papamoa area, $4m to expand Golden Sands School to accommodate a further 150 students, and $5m to provide nine new classrooms at Pillans Point School, including five extra and four replacement classrooms.
'The focus of this investment is boosting capacity within the region's education network, to help accommodate growing rolls,” says Education Minister Nikki Kaye.
'This is one of the fastest growing areas in New Zealand, and the Government is committed to building new schools and classrooms where there's sustained demand for more student places.”
According to Nikki, the National-led government has invested well over $5 billion towards upgrading and expanding schools nationwide – the largest ever investment in school infrastructure by a New Zealand government - since 2008.
Associate Education Minister Tim Macindoe says today's announcement follows significant recent investment in Bay of Plenty schools.
Earlier this year, $1.2m was announced for three extra classrooms at Omokoroa Point School, and an establishment notice was signed for the new $18m school at Pye's Pa which will accommodate 650 students, he says.
'Since 2016, new classrooms have also been announced for Oropi School, Welcome Bay School, Maungatapu School, Katikati Primary School and Matua Primary School.
'This Government understands that a school's physical environment plays a huge part in inspiring and supporting student success, which is why we're committed to ensuring that students all around New Zealand can learn in modern, stimulating learning environments.”
The investment announced today is part of a $456.5 million investment in education infrastructure and associated operating costs as part of this year's Budget.
Further announcements will be made about investments in school property under Budget 2017 in the coming weeks.
3 comments
What about the colleges????
Posted on 02-06-2017 11:20 | By Yeah right!
Our colleges are bursting at the seam, and the kids have to put up with over crowded classes, lessons that are inadequate due to the amount of kids in the class. The students have to move on from these primary schools.
More Schools for BOP
Posted on 02-06-2017 12:35 | By socantor01
One would hope that some forethought will go into the transport requirements for all these extra kids. Current performance, and especially proposals to get out of school bussing, would suggest not.Our local MP is the Minister of Transport, for pete's sake. C'mon, Simon man up and provide proper transport facilities for our kids. Like you used to enjoy??
Schools
Posted on 02-06-2017 14:06 | By surfsup
A true investment would be helping existing schools especially colleges cope with influx of new students. The national goverment has not provided schools with sufficient money over the years to even keep pace with inflation and remedial work needed on older buildings etc. This is just another election photo opportunity .
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