Students Across New Zealand to Benefit from $100 Million Investment in New Classrooms

Nishka.K
Oct 27
2 min read

From brand-new schools to specialised learning spaces, this investment is a turning point for education in New Zealand. Every dollar stretches further, every child gains a brighter, better-equipped environment and the future of learning looks stronger than ever.

New Zealand schools are getting a major boost. A lump sum of $100 million investment to bring new classrooms and refreshed learning spaces, giving students and teachers a better and refreshing environment to learn and teach. This is part of a larger plan to make every school welcoming, up-to-date and well-equipped.

New Classrooms, Smarter Spending, Bigger Impact

Ms Erica Stanford, Education Minister speaks about the Government’s smarter approach to school projects. By using modular classrooms, offsite manufacturing and streamlined designs, the cost of building a classroom has dropped from $1.2 million to $620,000. These savings mean that more classrooms can be built, more quickly, benefiting more students and communities.

“It’s not just about cutting costs,” says Stanford. “It’s about making sure every student has a safe, warm and dry place to learn.”

More Classrooms for Every Community

Thanks to these efficiencies, an extra $100 million will go directly into creating learning spaces. This includes a new school in Pōkeno and 82 additional classrooms across the country, from Kerikeri to Ashburton and Papatoetoe to Whangaparāoa. Each classroom represents a space where curiosity and learning can flourish.

Supporting Students with Special Needs

The investment is not just for standard classrooms. Several satellite classrooms are being developed for schools such as Kimi Ora Specialist School and Blomfield Specialist School, aimed specifically to support every individual’s learning needs. For example:

Mt Richmond School will have facilities to accommodate 45 students.
Cambridge Middle School and Oromahoe School will get new satellite classrooms to expand education access.

Building Beyond the Basics

This new funding complements the $713 million already committed to school infrastructure since Budget 2025. Funding priorities include:

$300 million for upgrades and repairs at 33 schools nationwide.
$255 million for improvements at 934 small, rural and isolated schools.
$100 million for urgent infrastructure needs.
$58 million for essential maintenance at state and state-integrated schools.

With this investment, all of New Zealand’s 2,500 state and state-integrated schools will see benefits.

Looking Ahead

The Government’s reinvestment strategy ensures teachers and students have the infrastructure needed for long-term success. As Erica Stanford emphasizes, the goal is crystal clear - deliver more, waste less and give every student a place to belong and grow.