Around $800,000 will be invested to build one new classroom each at Oakura School and West End School in Taranaki, Education Minister Hekia Parata announced today.

“Both schools have growing rolls and need extra space to accommodate more students in the future,” says Ms Parata.

Today’s announcement is part of a second round of investments in new classrooms under Budget 2016, which provides $882.5 million for school property, including 480 new classrooms to meet roll growth.

Around $2.1 million will be invested to build a total of six new classrooms at schools in the Wellington and Kapiti regions, Education Minister Hekia Parata announced today.

The schools are:

Around $2.7 million dollars will be invested to build a total of eight new classrooms at schools in the Bay of Plenty and Coromandel, Education Minister Hekia Parata announced today.

The schools are:

• Matua Primary School, Tauranga – three new classrooms
• Katikati Primary School, Katikati – three new classrooms
• Tairua School, Coromandel – two new classrooms

“The Bay of Plenty and Coromandel are experiencing population growth and this is having a flow-on effect on school rolls,” says Ms Parata.

Around $1.8 million million will be invested to build a total of five new classrooms at schools in Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay, Education Minister Hekia Parata announced today.

The schools are:

Education Minister Hekia Parata has welcomed a Treasury report which has highlighted the strong performance of the Greater Christchurch Education Renewal Programme.

The report confirms that not only is the rebuild on-schedule, but that all schools’ projects are on budget with some tenders even coming in under-budget.

Around $5 million is being invested to provide three Auckland schools with a total of 10 new classrooms, Education Minister Hekia Parata announced today.

“Six of these new classrooms will add additional capacity to the Auckland school network, to help meet roll growth, and the others will replace existing classrooms,” says Ms Parata.

“Belmont Primary School will receive three extra classrooms, Rongomai School will get two extra and three replacement classrooms, and Flat Bush School will get one extra and one replacement classroom.”

Around $4 million will be invested to build a total of 11 new classrooms at six Waikato schools, Education Minister Hekia Parata announced today.

The schools are:

Education Minister Hekia Parata today welcomed the opening of two new classroom blocks at Ellerslie School in Auckland.

Maungakiekie MP Sam Lotu-Iiga visited the school today to officially open the new blocks on Minister Parata’s behalf.

“The new blocks represent an investment of more than $10 million and follow the modernisation of other classrooms at the school,” says Ms Parata.

“This is about ensuring that Ellerslie School has capacity to meet a growing roll and provide a 21st Century learning environment.”

Education Minister Hekia Parata has welcomed the passing of a bill which will provide increased flexibility for parents, students, school boards and early childhood education providers.

The Education Legislation Bill passed its Third and final reading in Parliament today.

“This Bill is a significant milestone for our education system. It amends several Acts, including the Education Act 1989, and provides further flexibility for school communities,” says Ms Parata.

A sod turning ceremony attended by Education Minister Hekia Parata today marked the start of the second stage of the redevelopment of Te Waka Unua School in Christchurch.

“This stage of the project will see eight new learning spaces built, as well as a new multipurpose hall and extension of the existing administration block,” says Ms Parata.

The redevelopment of Te Waka Unua School, which was formed by the merger of Woolston and Phillipstown Schools, is part of the Government’s $1.137 billion Christchurch Schools Rebuild programme.

Around $750,000 will be invested to build two new classrooms at Fernside School in Rangiora, Canterbury, Education Minister Hekia Parata announced today.

“This is part of a second round of investments in new classrooms under Budget 2016, which provides $882.5 million for school property, including 480 new classrooms to meet roll growth,” says Ms Parata.

The first round of investments was announced in May and June this year. That saw twenty-one new roll growth classrooms announced for Canterbury schools.

Education Minister Hekia Parata is encouraging all schools, kura and early childhood education providers to enter education’s answer to the Oscars.

“The Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Awards are about celebrating education excellence, recognising the great work taking place in our schools, kura and ECE providers across New Zealand,” says Ms Parata.

Cambridge High School and Ngaruawahia High School in the Waikato will both undergo major redevelopments, Education Minister Hekia Parata announced today.

“Around $8 million will be invested in Ngaruawahia High School, and around $9 million will be spent redeveloping Cambridge High School,” says Ms Parata.

“Both schools have issues such as leaky buildings or classrooms that are old and in poor condition, so this will be welcome news for their communities.

Around $9 million will be invested in the redevelopment of Edgecumbe College in the Bay of Plenty, Education Minister Hekia Parata announced today.

“This project will involve demolishing and rebuilding three existing classroom blocks and an administration building,” says Ms Parata.

“Another three blocks will be repaired or have remediation work carried out to address weathertightness issues.

“Many of the existing buildings at the college are old or leaky, so this is about creating a 21st Century learning environment.

Education Minister Hekia Parata this afternoon welcomed a historic school bus onto the grounds of Parliament.

“This is a replica of a Ford Model T bus, used for New Zealand’s first ever school bus service that began in Piopio in 1924,” says Ms Parata.

Volunteers from the Piopio College Trust and others created the replica, after sourcing an original 1921 chassis and motor and recreating the wooden framework and other details.

An additional $5.9 million will be invested in the redevelopment of Auckland’s Te Kura Maori o Nga Tapuwae, Education Minister Hekia Parata announced today.

“This extra investment will take the total value of the project to over $21 million,” says Ms Parata.

Te Kura Maori o Nga Tapuwae shares a site with Southern Cross Campus in Mangere, a co-ed school for years 1-13 which is also currently undergoing redevelopment, valued at over $23 million.

Education Minister Hekia Parata has today announced the nine successful applicants to a $1 million contestable fund for projects that will engage students in digital technologies. 

“We’re funding providers who have innovative and smart projects that will capture teachers’ and students’ imagination and help them get skilled in using and developing digital technologies,” says Ms Parata.

The projects are part of a broader package of support for schools when the digital technologies curriculum content starts to be rolled out in 2018.

Construction work has started on the $23.5 million second stage of the redevelopment of Southern Cross Campus, a co-ed school for years 1 to 13 in Mangere, Auckland, Education Minister Hekia Parata announced today.

“This stage of the redevelopment will see 24 new teaching spaces built, along with a new multi-purpose centre, library and administration facilities,” says Ms Parata.

The first stage saw the creation of a new $3.5 million trades academy.

Education Minister Hekia Parata has represented New Zealand at the state funeral for former president, Shimon Peres, extending her education visit to do so.

“It was a privilege to mark the passing of a national and international leader whose long life was committed to the service of his country, and to the relentless pursuit of peace”, Ms Parata says.

 Ms Parata wrapped up discussions with education leaders and experts in Israel, which reinforced that New Zealand’s education is highly-regarded on the world stage.

Education Minister Hekia Parata will represent New Zealand at the state funeral of former President Shimon Peres in Israel on Friday.

“President Peres carved out a special place in world politics," Ms Parata says. “Our thoughts are with the Peres family and the nation of Israel as they celebrate his remarkable life, and mark his passing.”

“The loss of such an influential and inspirational leader in his 93rd year is a day for respect and reflection, not only for Israelis, but the world.”

Education Minister Hekia Parata says her meetings with education experts and leaders in the United States confirmed that New Zealand’s education system is a world-leader in preparing young people for the 21st century.

Ms Parata joined international education experts and leaders, including OECD Secretary-General, Dr Angel Gurria and UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova, for discussions at the Asia Society Center for Global Education in New York.