$30m school expansion set for Manukura & Te Wharekura o Ngā Purapura o Te Aroha

The government is investing $30m to expand two schools, providing their staff and students with permanent sites to teach and learn from, Associate Education Minister Kelvin Davis announced on Friday.

Kelvin Davis visited Manukura, a designated character school in Palmerston North, which will receive $20 million for a permanent new school. Te Wharekura o Ngā Purapura o Te Aroha will also receive $10 million. The funding was allocated in Budget 2018.

Both schools have been operating from temporary sites.

“The students who go to these schools are keen to learn and they deserve the best, modern fit-for-purpose learning environments,” Kelvin Davis said.

“Lifting achievement of our tamariki and rangatahi is a priority for me as minister. Today’s announcement is about ensuring these schools have teaching spaces that support students to succeed.

“Māori medium schools have seen a steady rise in student numbers, and we need to support them to grow and provide quality education.”

The two schools will each be built on new sites. Construction on the schools is expected to begin in about 18 months.

“Our investment will see these schools receive the permanent sites they have been waiting for, so they can focus on what they do best – teaching and learning,” Kelvin Davis said.

This funding is a part of Budget 2018 investment to support schools experiencing roll growth pressures. Almost $70 million to build new schools and add capacity has been announced so far. According to the government, further announcements will be made about investments in school property under Budget 2018 in the coming weeks.