$400m for upgrades of school property
The Government is to spend $396 million on improving school property.
The one-off cash injection will be worth $693 per state school student, with each school receiving a maximum of $400,000.
No school will receive less than $50,000 – meaning some schools with less than 10 students will still be receiving $50,000. Schools that help special needs students will all receive $200,000.
It is the first major investment brought forward by the Government’s decision to increase its borrowing to make infrastructure investments. It is the largest investment in school property in 25 years – and schools will need to spend it within two years. It is available to spend immediately.
On Saturday, Finance Minister Grant Robertson signalled the spend-up during his speech at the Labour Party’s annual conference, but did not reveal the price tag or the specific projects.
The Government would borrow more money to bring forward several major infrastructure projects, after months of criticism for not priming the economy with infrastructure spending. It is also offering the living wage to all school support staff, including teacher aides and cleaners.
It follows an announcement on Saturday that the Education Ministry was offering to pay teacher aides and other school support staff at least the living wage.
Prime Minister Jacinda
Ardern said yesterday schools would spend the funds on needed upgrades that have been put on the backburner. ‘‘The Government is taking advantage of historically low interest rates to improve school buildings and grounds and creating jobs.’’
This could include classroom upgrades, replacing roofing and guttering, upgrading storm water drainage systems, installing energy efficient heating and lighting or resurfacing outdoor courts and paved areas.
‘‘This package is a real shot in the arm for our schools . . . I’ve visited plenty of schools and I’d be hard pressed to name one that didn’t have need,’’ Ardern said.
Education Minister Chris Hipkins said in recent years many schools had to make do with patched-up classrooms and playgrounds. ‘‘When we have the opportunity, as we do now, we should and can do better to lift the quality of the classrooms students and teachers spend so much time in.’’
The cash injection would be administered by the Ministry of Education through existing planning processes. This would give schools breathing room to catch up on deferred building work, he said.
Only state schools opened before 2015 are eligible – just over 2000.
The $400,000 cap and $50,000 floor leads to some interesting ratios. Auckland Grammar, with 2421 students, will receive the maximum of $400,000 – or $165 per student. Meanwhile Papanui Junction School near Turakina, which has a roll of 7, will receive the minimum of $50,000 – or $7100 per student.