Dunedin South MP Clare Curran has questioned the Ministry of Education's commitment to redeveloping Carisbrook School into a facility fit for 21st-century education, as the school continues to wait for building plans to be approved.
The school was supposed to have been developed and ready for pupils at the start of term 1 this year, after the merger of Caversham, College Street and Calton Hill schools last year.
However, the Carisbrook School board of trustees and the ministry have yet to confirm what development will take place at the school's main site on the corner of South Rd and Surrey St.
Ms Curran said the delay was not good enough.
"It's the beginning of term 2 ... and still no sign of a decision.
"Carisbrook School is a new school by name only. There are three campuses and no new building programme approved.
"You have to ask yourself, is it because it's a low decile school in Dunedin that it's not a priority for the Ministry of Education?"
Ms Curran was also concerned that only about $1.9 million had been set aside for the redevelopment work and believed it was nowhere near enough to bring the school into the 21st century.
"It's palpably inadequate."
An unexpected increase in the roll at Carisbrook School for the start of the 2012 year had prompted a review of the projected school roll for the next two years.
As a result, the projected roll to the end of next had been revised significantly upwards, and the ministry was giving urgent consideration to how to provide for the additional accommodation requirements.
The board initially estimated there would be about 418 pupils at the school by next year, but it was believed the school would reach that number by the middle of term 2 this year.
It was predicted the roll would be significantly higher than that next year.
The projected roll increase meant the 12-classroom school would need 20 classrooms by next year.
The school has been working with the ministry on the idea of building a new school, or refurbishing the existing premises and building additional classrooms, a library and an administration area.
The board's preference is for a new school on the main site.
Ministry of Education planning, policy and standards manager Jerome Sheppard said the ministry's priority was to ensure pupils at all schools had the best possible learning facilities.
While the ministry had been developing costing information to help inform a decision on the level of redevelopment needed at the school, no decisions had yet been made, he said.
"We are aware of the interest of the community and the minister will be looking to make an announcement in the coming weeks."
Carisbrook School board of trustees chairwoman Isabell Sinclair Irwin said the board expected the announcement would be made by the end of April.
