The principal of a fast-growing Bay of Plenty school says “absurd” Government cost-cutting has forced it to pause two major building projects.

Pāpāmoa College principal Iva Ropati said he was “extremely disappointed” the Ministry of Education had put construction of a new gymnasium and whare learning centre on hold.

The former rugby league player described the buildings as “essential” to accommodate the school’s rapid roll growth and said he feared running out of learning space.

The college is Pāpāmoa’s only high school and its roll of 1850 students was expected to hit 2000 by next year.

The Ministry of Education says the $15 million investment into building the new gym and whare had been “paused” while the “relative priority of this investment was considered”.

Education should not be target of ‘cost-cutting’

In a press release, Ropati said Pāpāmoa was one of the fastest growing suburbs in Tauranga and its only college “will not have capacity within the next few years to cater for student learning”.

Ropati said in his view it was “absurd” that the school was having to “compromise” young people’s education due to the Government’s decision.

“We do not think it is appropriate that schools like ours or the wider education sector should be the target of cost-cutting due to the previous Government’s spending behaviour.”

Pāpāmoa College principal Iva Ropati. Photo / Stuart Whitaker

Ropati said the school had responded to a nationwide call for better student outcomes and had “significantly better” NCEA achievement rates last year, including a 15 per cent improvement for NCEA Level 1 and more than a 12 per cent improvement for NCEA Level 3 and University Entrance.

“A possible and likely consequence of not having learning space jeopardises further improvements and future aspirational goals that the college has set.”

Ropati said the school was “disheartened and angry” after contacting the ministry and Education Minister and not receiving a response.

In a further statement to the Bay of Plenty Times, Ropati said the gymnasium had consent and construction was meant to start 12 weeks ago, while the whare was “almost consented”.

Ropati said a ministry representative visited the school and verbally advised the two buildings were “on hold”.

“We have had no formal notification in writing.”

The Bay of Plenty Times reported in March 2023 the gymnasium was planned to be completed by 2025 and was part of a wider nearly $60m expansion project that included several other builds. The school had 1709 students at that time.

Ministry of Education responds

In a statement, Ministry of Education head of property Sam Fowler said the expansion project at Pāpāmoa College was to provide additional capacity to the school by constructing an administration block, a technology block, two teaching blocks, a second sports hall (gym) and whare.

The two teaching blocks had been delivered, and construction of the administration and technology blocks was under way, Fowler said.

Fowler said the college was advised in January that construction of the whare and additional sports hall were “paused while the relative priority of this investment was considered”.

Construction of the new gym and whare required a further investment of about $15m, Fowler said.

Information from the ministry said a number of projects around New Zealand had been paused while it explored more cost-effective options, or because the expected roll growth had not occurred or forecast growth had changed since September 2023.

A small number had also been paused – which included Pāpāmoa College – while the ministry determined their relative priority to other investments to ensure it made decisions that would “maximise the benefit of its investments for all schools”.

The Minister of Education’s office has been approached for comment.

Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.