Education Minister Erica Stanford and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop confirmed $56.6 million in funding would be spent to bring facilities up to standard at six schools around the country.
The expenditure is part of a $2 billion investment in school infrastructure.
Māruawai College principal Mel Hamilton said it was a great relief to receive the funding for the classrooms at the Gore school, and she was already picking out the colours and the design for the finished build.
The project is part of a major, multi-stage development, which has already included a covered canopy and revitalised fields, to eventually bring the junior campus on to the main campus.
Two food rooms, one commercial and one domestic, will be included alongside three science laboratories, an art room with a kiln, and a specialist agriculture room alongside a general learning space.
Mrs Hamilton said she was over the moon about the project so far, the potential it would bring for students and staff, and the modernisation as a whole.
‘‘Minister Stanford rang me, she’s been taking a big interest in the development . . . .
‘‘I think this is a sign they’ve committed to modernising our school and once they’ve done this one, I think they’re committed to knocking down the rest.
‘‘We’re absolutely thrilled. It’s a relief in so many ways,’’ she said.
Ms Stanford said in a statement she was delighted six schools would receive 52 total teaching spaces, calling it a massive benefit for students and faculty alike.
Mr Bishop said it was a cost-efficient exercise which outsourced the average cost of the classrooms by using off-site manufactured builds and repeatable designs.
‘‘That means more classrooms, delivered faster, providing better learning environments for our kids and better value for taxpayers.’’
Southland MP Joseph Mooney said he was a big advocate for the school’s modernisation project, calling himself a ‘‘very happy man’’ after the announcement.
‘‘It’s awesome; I’m absolutely psyched. I’ve done a lot of work on that one over the last few years across governments, so I’m seriously stoked to get that one across the line,’’ he said.
‘‘[Māruawai College] is one of the key educational hubs for this part of Southland and having a modern, fit for purpose learning environment for the kids of Southland and Gore is absolutely crucial.
‘‘Education is one of those things that literally builds the future, and having a modern healthy environment is key for both students and teachers,’’ he said.
