Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced in 2019 the 140-year-old school would get four classrooms (space for 88 children) as part of a $27 million boost to Otago and Southland education infrastructure.
A ministry master plan had revealed the Hawea Flat School roll could reach 500 within the next decade.
In a document recently sent to the school community, the ministry said its latest intention was based on the Queenstown Lakes District Council’s new spatial plan, showing future growth would concentrate about Lake Hawea, rather than rural areas.
"We know that we will have to expand schooling to meet future growth and want to ensure it will be in a place that provides the greatest level of access for the majority of families.
"That is why we are starting to plan for a relocation of Hawea Flat School," the unattributed ministry document said.
The Otago Daily Times yesterday sought comment from principal Tania Pringle and board of trustees chairwoman Paula Shortall.
The about-turn will create extra, short-term pressure on the 12-classroom, 280-pupil school.
The four new classrooms were scheduled to open at the start of term four when the school roll is predicted to be about 320, requiring 14 classrooms.
Now the ministry cannot justify investing in buildings that might only be used until 2030.
Instead, the school would receive eight new, standard-design, relocatable classrooms, which would all be delivered at once and be ready at the start of term one next year.
The ministry acknowledged waiting another term would be frustrating.
It has also apologised for doing earthworks on the school’s bike park, which would be reinstated.
The Crown would eventually sell the 3.5ha school land.
The timetable for the move was not available.
The ministry said it did not have government funding and could not provide certainty.
It confirmed it was negotiating to buy land, but did not say where.
The deal could take 18-24 months. Planning and construction would take another three to five years.
School parents learned about the ministry’s proposal through a newsletter from the school board and principal and at a parents’ meeting at the school.
The board newsletter described the ministry’s announcement as "not what we had expected or hoped".
It was "unexpected and not anticipated at this time".
