29 Oct 2020

Auckland schools record fastest growth in 16 years

From Morning Report, 7:12 am on 29 October 2020

Auckland schools have recorded their fastest growth in 16 years.

Education Ministry figures show at the middle of the year the region's schools had 283,000 children.

That is 4000 more since the same time last year.

Here's RNZ education correspondent, John Gerritsen.

In a statement the Ministry of Education's Deputy Secretary Sector Enablement and Support, Katrina Casey said:

"There is no doubt that we have been in a period of population growth that has affected schools in Auckland, and that includes this year.

"We know that from 2017 to 2030 we need 60,000 new student places in Auckland and around 24,500 of those places are funded and at various stages of construction.

"We continually work with schools to ensure they have the space they need and are as confident as we can be that schools in high-growth areas such as Auckland have the capacity.

"The primary measures we use to help schools manage growth, include putting in place or changing existing enrolment schemes and building new teaching spaces."