Run down school's long wait

Principal Jim Luders (inset) says conditions at his school are unsafe.

Students from a damp and dilapidated school may be waiting two more months before the Government decides if it will fund new classrooms.

The "unacceptable" situation at Northland College in Kaikohe was deemed urgent by the Education Review Office in 2012, but the school is still waiting for new classroom plans to be approved.

WHAT IS THE CONDITION OF YOUR LOCAL CLASSROOM? SEND YOUR STORIES, PICS AND VIDEOS TO THE HERALD HERE

Principal Jim Luders had thought the 280-student school might have word in two weeks, but yesterday acting head of the education infrastructure service Jerome Sheppard signalled it was likely to be longer than that.

"To address the longer-term issues with the buildings, we are planning to address these as a single redevelopment project," he said.

"We expect to be in a position to make a decision in the next couple of months."

Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye said, "The classrooms are in the condition they're in because of a lack of long-term planning by the previous board of trustees. That board was dissolved, and a commissioner has been in place at the college."

Quizzed by Northland MP Winston Peters about the school in Parliament yesterday morning, Prime Minister John Key said there were "obviously" poor conditions at Northland College and "that issue needs to be resolved". He said he was sure work would be carried out.