$276 million announced for Canterbury schools rebuild

Minister of Education Hekia Parata. Photo / Dean Purcell

The rebuild of Canterbury's schools has been allocated more than $276 million over four years as part of Budget 2016.

Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye announced detail of the spending today.

The investment will include:

• About $168 million towards the Christchurch schools rebuild programme,
• At least $100 million to build two new schools -- Haeata Community Campus and Rolleston College -- and relocate and rebuild two schools -- Shirley Boys' High School and Avonside Girls' High School -- under the public private partnership model,
• About $8 million for 21 new classrooms at existing schools to cope with roll growth.

"The $1.14 billion Christchurch schools rebuild, which is a 10-year programme, is now in its third year," Ms Parata said.

"The $268 million investment announced today, together with baseline funding and insurance proceeds, means we've now committed close to two thirds of the overall funding for this programme, which is on-track to rebuild and renew 115 schools.

"To date, seven schools have been completed, 10 are in construction, 21 are in design and nine are in the planning stage."

Ms Kaye said the new classrooms would be at Lincoln Primary School, Lincoln High School, Methven School, Amuri Area School, Carew Peel Forest School and Swannanoa School.