Hon Hekia Parata
Minister of Education

Hon Nikki Kaye
Associate Minister of Education

15 May 2014

$284m extra allocated for schools, classrooms

Budget 2014 invests a total of $172.5 million of capital from the Future Investment Fund and $111.5 million of operating funding over the next four years in new schools, classrooms and other school property improvements, Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye say.

This follows the $134 million in capital investment in new schools in Budget 2013.

“The new funding is part of the Government’s wider plans to modernise schools in order to contribute to raising achievement for every child and young person,” Ms Parata says.

“Funding from Budget 2014 will help establish up to five new schools, acquire three new sites and expand one existing school.

“Children learn best in spaces that support effective, innovative teaching and learning. We’re accelerating progress on building modern learning environments and bringing many ageing facilities up to standard.”

The Budget provides an additional $16.9 million of operating funding over four years to deliver the property components of the Government’s $1.1 billion capital funding commitment to renewing schools in greater Christchurch over the next 10 years.

Ms Kaye says that with school property being one of the Government’s largest assets, with a replacement value of $21.9 billion, it is important to improve it for future generations.

“Our Government is committed to supporting communities in areas like Auckland where it is crucial to utilise existing school sites,” Ms Kaye says.

“This funding will provide an additional 148 classrooms on existing sites to meet roll growth. This builds on the additional 320 classrooms announced in Budget 2013.

“This funding will provide many schools with certainty to progress major redevelopments and take a longer-term view of what is needed for their communities. All children and teachers will benefit from being in modern classrooms with better facilities,” Ms Kaye says.

Budget 2014 also invests $7.8 million of operating funding over four years to deliver better property services to schools as part of the Government’s previously announced plan to transform school property.

“In September last year, I announced that the Ministry of Education would offer smarter, faster, more cost-effective and better-quality property advice and management systems to schools. Budget 2014 provides additional funding to deliver these services to schools,” Ms Kaye says.

Other Budget 2014 property initiatives to receive funding include:

• $29.8 million for operating costs over four years associated with the Hobsonville Point public-private partnership.
• $10.4 million of operating funding over four years to pursue compensation claims related to leaky buildings remediation and to undertake building improvement activities to protect the value of Crown assets.
• $8.5 million of operating funding in 2014/15 to meet cost pressures arising from increased insurance premiums following the Canterbury earthquakes.

ENDS

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