New Zealand completes 800th upgrade under small schools programme

The programme focuses on creating warmer, safer and more comfortable classrooms by carrying out essential upgrades that many schools had been waiting years to receive.

New Zealand has reached a major milestone in its nationwide programme to improve small and remote schools, with the 800th school now upgraded under the Small Schools Upgrade Programme | Ngā Iti Kahurangi. Education Minister Erica Stanford said the initiative has improved learning environments for thousands of students while reducing maintenance pressures on school leaders.

The programme focuses on creating warmer, safer and more comfortable classrooms by carrying out essential upgrades that many schools had been waiting years to receive.

Investment speeds up school improvements

Stanford said many school buildings had suffered from decades of underinvestment, leaving principals and school boards struggling to manage growing maintenance needs. The Government responded by increasing funding for school property maintenance and introducing measures to speed up upgrades across the country.

The base rate under the Five-Year Agreement funding was increased by 50 per cent to NZ$45 per square metre, while the minimum allocation for small schools doubled to NZ$90,000. The Government also fast-tracked a NZ$413 million package for maintenance, rural school improvements and essential infrastructure, reduced classroom construction costs through standardised designs and off-site manufacturing, and established the New Zealand School Property Agency to streamline property management.

Hundreds of schools receive modern facilities

The programme has already delivered significant improvements to learning spaces. More than 74,000 LED lights have been installed, along with 89,000 acoustic panels to reduce classroom noise. Schools have also received 5,700 bales of ceiling insulation, 201,000 square metres of carpet with built-in underlay to improve warmth, and 57,000 residual current devices (RCDs) to strengthen electrical safety.

Stanford said these upgrades are creating classrooms where children can learn in safer, warmer and healthier conditions.

Principals praise faster delivery

School leaders have welcomed both the quality and speed of the work. A principal from a Nelson-Marlborough school said the upgrades were completed much sooner than expected, allowing staff to focus on teaching instead of managing maintenance projects.

A Waikato principal described the new carpeting as a major improvement, saying the school was "absolutely chuffed" with the result while also praising the communication and workmanship throughout the project.

More schools set to benefit

The Government expanded the programme last September with an additional NZ$175 million in funding to extend upgrades to more schools. By the end of the programme, 934 small and remote schools will receive improvements including new vinyl flooring, carpets, heating systems, window replacements, roofing, cladding and asbestos removal where required.

The remaining work is scheduled to be completed by the end of the 2028/29 summer, continuing efforts to modernise school facilities across New Zealand.