Acting head of Education Infrastructure Service, Sharyn Pilbrow, said the ministry was working closely with Kamo High School through the planning and design of this project to ensure their long-term vision for teaching and learning on their site could be realised.
"High school rebuilds are complex so it's important to take the necessary time to get the planning and design right."
Pilbrow said in this instance there had been changes to the school roll during the planning and design phases that needed to be worked through to deliver the right outcome for the school.
Enabling works were planned to start in the Christmas holidays this year with the main construction works planned to start term 2 in 2022, said Pilbrow.
Kamo High School principal Natasha Hemara agreed that as the school roll fluctuated, the ministry held back.
But currently, the roll was on the up again, she said.
"At the end of the day, even if the roll did reduce, those are still 22 classrooms that are not fit for purpose.
"Doesn't matter if the roll reduces or not, you are still looking at a capacity of 22 classrooms. There is no way the school roll would reduce beyond that."
As of July 2020, the student roll was 955 and, once the redevelopment was completed, Kamo High School would have a capacity for 1000 students.
The two-storey "Nelson" blocks which will be demolished were built in the 1960s.
Both blocks were at the end of their life, said Hemara.
"We have been maintaining those blocks that are rotting and falling apart as much as we can from a health and safety perspective.
"The money has been spent on buildings that are at the end of their lives is from operational funding, which could be spent elsewhere."
However, Hemara was pleased that the designs were finally ready.
She said the school was working with the Ministry's projects team to design the building they were wanting and the next step was procurement with the contractors.
"I have a part to play in the selection process of what we believe is right for our school, keeping in mind our vision and values, but the project is managed by the Ministry because it comes under infrastructure."
With regards to the project timeline, Hemara said they had to go through the procurement phases now.
"Considering the impact of Covid-19 on resources, it is difficult to say the project will definitely roll out before Christmas.
"But, in the best-case scenario, I hope that we are underway at Christmas time. I'll do everything I can to support the building project team to ensure that is met.
"But I cannot help if other things get in the way outside of the school control."
In the worst-case scenario, Hemara said they would have to continue to do what they had done for the last five years.
"There's no way we can do the funding. We do not have $21 million in our bank account to fund that level of the building.
"We will have to maintain the current facilities in a way that it meets the health and safety standards for our students.
"What we do want is high-quality, comfortable, dry and warm learning environments, and this new building will provide that."
The redeveloped two-storey building would be bright and each classroom had access to breakout rooms for further student support. Two toilet blocks were included in the build, one on each floor.
Blomfield School had been accommodated and was situated at the south end of the building project in a separate one-storey building (Kamo Rd side). The only access from Kamo Rd will be to accommodate Blomfield School.
