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The principal of Pāpāmoa College has questioned why a $60 million planned expansion at the school was part of a pre-Budget government announcement.
Iva Ropati believed the announcement this week left an “impression” new funding was being put into the development which, in his view, was “incorrect”.
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, alongside Education Minister Jan Tinetti, announced that $100 million would be added to the “education infrastructure funding pipeline” which would “enable the construction of up to four new schools and new school expansions”.
“The first two projects are in central Auckland and Pāpāmoa, with the remaining two projects to be announced in due course,” Hipkins said.
But Ropati said the $60 million school expansion had been in the planning stages for about three years.
In his opinion: “They are trying to convey to the public it is something new and different - it isn’t.”
Looking back on original development plans from 12 years ago, Ropati believed that “all of the building we are currently doing has been earmarked”.
Ropati said, from his perspective, the ‘‘money ‘was committed that far back - how they can bring that up as new money is incorrect. Yes, we are still building, and we still have a couple of years to go - but it’s not new money.’’
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Education Minister Jan Tinetti during a media standup after their pre-Budget 2023 education announcement.
Photo / Mark Mitchell
Tinetti’s office referred the Bay of Plenty Times questions to the Ministry of Education.
Ministry leader (hautū) infrastructure and digital Scott Evans said the new funding would be used for the college’s “planned expansion”.
In response to Ropati’s comments, the Ministry of Education head of property Sam Fowler said the project was included in the announcement because it included new funding needed to continue the “staged programme of works” and responded to “increasing costs of delivery”.
“The funding received in Budget 23 tops up the programme budget at the school so that the ministry can complete the planned works for the technology block, extension to the administration building, a new gym and a whare.”
The Bay of Plenty Times asked the ministry how much new funding would go toward the school expansion.
Fowler responded: “While contract negotiations are ongoing it remains commercially sensitive to publish the budget until these works are under contract.”
Fowler said the ministry’s national education growth plan took a “portfolio approach to funding and delivering a large and complex mix of new schools and classrooms across the country”.
Most new or expanded schools received funding for planning, design and construction in stages as their project progressed.
Tinetti said at the time the ministry would call for nominations for an establishment board. This was expected to be completed in the first half of 2023.
On Tuesday, Fowler said an establishment board had not yet been formed and work was planned to start in 2024.
“Master planning for the sites is almost complete and there has been ongoing engagement with the community and other stakeholders through this planning phase.”
