Govt to invest $413m in school infrastructure

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Education Minister Erica Stanford have announced the government will invest $413 million to improve school infrastructure.

The pair were speaking to media at Albany Jr High School this afternoon, shortly after the announcement was made.

Stanford said $413m of projects was being accelerated to allow schools to do significant maintenance over the Summer holidays and support rural and isolated schools to upgrade infrastructure.

It would also power up the trade and construction sectors, Stanford said, by creating a steady flow of jobs for builder, plumbers and roofers.

The investment package would consist of:

• $58 million for operating maintenance work for all schools.
• $255 million for internal and external improvements on all isolated, small and rural schools, representing half of all state schools.
• $100 million over five years for urgent and essential infrastructure work.

Stanford said the government had halved the cost of a new classroom from $1.2m to $620,000.