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Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye have welcomed the official opening of Lemonwood Grove School in Christchurch by the Prime Minister.

Around 80 students started Term 1 at the new school in Rolleston, which includes a library; technology spaces where children can do activities such as arts and crafts, messy play and cooking; outdoor teaching spaces and an adventure play area.

A further $6.6 million will be invested in the redevelopment of Kaiapoi High School in North Canterbury, on top of the $15.5 million already announced for the project, Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye announced today.

“This upscaling to a $22 million project reflects higher than expected roll growth at the school since the redevelopment was first announced,” says Ms Parata.

The Government will invest around $6.9 million to redevelop Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Taumarere in Northland, Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye announced today.

“This redevelopment will include new buildings as well as building upgrades, and will provide the kura with fantastic new facilities,” says Ms Parata.

The redevelopment will see:

Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye have welcomed today’s Supreme Court decision about the Ministry of Education’s case against Carter Holt Harvey over leaky school buildings.

In 2013, the Ministry started legal proceedings, on behalf of schools, against Carter Holt Harvey and others, alleging the supply of defective building products.

“Today’s judgement is a major victory for New Zealand taxpayers as it upholds the entirety of the Ministry’s position and awards legal costs,” says Ms Parata.

Around $37 million will be invested in school property in Otago and Southland, say Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye.

This investment includes:

Around $3 million will be invested under Budget 2016 to expand the capacity of schools in Taranaki and Whanganui, say Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye.

Minister Kaye made the announcement today during a visit to Mangorei School in New Plymouth.

“This investment will provide a total of eight additional classrooms,” says Ms Parata.

The schools receiving new classrooms are:

$1 million will be invested under Budget 2016 to expand capacity at Motueka High School, say Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye.

Minister Kaye made the announcement this morning during a visit to Motueka High School.

“This investment will enable three new classrooms to be built at the school,” says Ms Parata.

“Motueka High School is a crucial school for the local education network, but population growth in the area has had a flow-on effect on the school’s roll.

Around $53.5 million will be invested in school property in Tauranga, Hamilton and Hawke’s Bay as part of Budget 2016, say Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye.

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

The investment includes:

A $19 million investment under Budget 2016 will provide Northland schools with 16 new classrooms and a new site and buildings for Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Tonga o Hokianga, say Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye.

Minister Kaye made the announcement at Whangarei Girls’ High School this afternoon.

“The Government is committed to investing in the potential of Northland’s young people and this investment will provide safe and innovative environments for students to learn and thrive in,” says Ms Parata.

Around $153 million will be invested in school property in greater Auckland as part of Budget 2016, Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye announced at Ormiston Primary School today.

This investment includes:

More than $276 million dollars will be invested in Canterbury school infrastructure as part of Budget 2016, Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye announced today.

“This will see a significant injection of more than $268 million towards the Christchurch schools rebuild programme,” says Ms Parata.

“There will also be an investment of around $8 million to fund an additional 21 classrooms across Canterbury, so that the region can meet the needs of current and future students as rolls grow.

The Government will invest around $4 million from Budget 2016 to provide new classrooms in the greater Wellington region, including Wairarapa, Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye announced today at Mt Cook School, Wellington.

“The 14 new classrooms to be built across the region are among the 480 new classrooms that were announced as part of Budget 2016 to meet roll growth,” says Ms Parata.

The schools that will receive new classrooms are:

Budget 2016 provides $882.5 million for school property, comprising $727.3 million of capital funding and $155.2 million of operating funding over the next four years, Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye say.

“The package provides for growth across New Zealand, as well as investment in public private partnerships and significant investment in Canterbury. It will provide nine new schools, 480 new classrooms, two school expansions and the relocation and rebuilding of three schools and a kura.”

The Government intends to build and maintain six new schools around New Zealand using a public private partnership (PPP), Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye announced today.

“A public private procurement model is an innovative and proven way to spend taxpayer money efficiently,” says Ms Parata.

“It offers the significant advantage of having professional facilities managers take care of school property, freeing up schools to focus on teaching and learning.

Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye today confirmed that more than 230 new classrooms are on-track to be delivered over the next 18 months to help meet increasing rolls in Auckland.

“Last August, the Government announced it would invest $350 million over four years to get ahead of demand in our biggest city,” says Ms Parata.

Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye have welcomed today’s judgement from the Court of Appeal about the Ministry of Education’s case against Carter Holt Harvey over leaky school buildings.

In 2013, the Ministry started legal proceedings, on behalf of schools, against Carter Holt Harvey, James Hardie and CSR Building Products Ltd alleging the supply of defective building products.

Ms Parata says settlements have already been reached with James Hardie and CSR.

The Budget provides $373.9 million for school infrastructure, Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye say.

This includes $130.1 million operating funding over four years and the $243.8 million capital expenditure the Prime Minister announced last month for new schools, kura and classrooms.

“This spending is about securing and ensuring the safety of property and improving school infrastructure and services,” Ms Parata says.

Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye are delighted that most schools in New Zealand have now signed up to use the government-funded Managed Network.

“More than 95% of schools have registered to use the Managed Network, which will give them fast, reliable internet and uncapped data,” says Ms Parata.

“This is about enabling schools to make the most of digital technologies, to give young people the skills and confidence they need to succeed in an ever-changing world.

Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye say the signing of a $298 million contract for four more public private partnership (PPP) schools will see significant benefits for schools and taxpayers alike.

“The contract for the schools, which will be located in Auckland, Christchurch and Queenstown, was signed this week with building consortium Future Schools Partners,” says Ms Parata.

Under a PPP, the private partner is responsible for designing, financing, building and maintaining the school property.

Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye say next month’s Budget will provide $244 million of funding for new schools, additional classrooms and expansions to existing schools.

The money will come from the remaining proceeds of the government’s share offer programme – channelled through the Future Investment Fund.

Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye say a new trades centre at the Southern Cross Campus in Mangere opened today by Prime Minister John Key will provide further options for young New Zealanders.

Ms Parata says the $3.5 million investment in the Trades Academy will enable Southern Cross to provide courses on construction, plumbing, automotive engineering and robotics on site. 

Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye say almost $140m is to be spent on the next wave of schools to be repaired and rebuilt in Christchurch.

Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye say another 1500 low income families will be provided with computers in 2015/16 through the Computers in Homes programme.

The programme, budgeted to cost $3.04 million in the coming financial year, not only provides low income families with computer but also training, support and, assistance with connection costs.

“The aim is to ensure more low-income families have the opportunity to learn basic computer skills and gain access to the internet,” says Ms Parata.

Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye today announced the government will invest up to $20.5 million in the redevelopment of Koru School in Māngere, Auckland.

“This is a major redevelopment that will see all of the school’s existing 27 classrooms replaced with 31 new teaching spaces, as well as construction of a new library, administration building and hall,” says Ms Parata.