By Chris Penk, MP for Kaipara ki Mahurangi
One of the issues I hear most often from local families is the urgent need for another secondary school in our part of Auckland. With rapid growth in the northwest, it’s no surprise that existing schools - primary and secondary alike - are under real pressure. Parents want their children to learn close to home, without spending hours each week commuting across to the North Shore or into town. Students and teachers deserve classrooms that aren’t overcrowded, meanwhile, with the right facilities to support their learning.
That’s why I’ve been continuing to push hard for a new high school to be built in the area. While this has been a long-running conversation, the need has only become more pressing as our population continues to expand. We’re a growing, dynamic community and our education infrastructure has to keep pace.
I have been raising this issue with colleagues in government and the Ministry of Education at every opportunity. The latter advise that they are working on securing land in northwest Auckland but, as this “update” has remained unchanged for the past few years, it’s a matter of some frustration that they have not yet landed this.
From my perspective, it’s not just about classrooms, important as those are: it’s also about building strong communities where young people can thrive close to where they live.
In the meantime, I’ll keep working alongside local principals, Boards of Trustees and parents to make sure that pressure is relieved where it can, augmenting the facilities of our excellent existing schools. But ultimately, with rolls growing towards capacity everywhere, a new secondary school is the long-term solution, and that’s what I’ll continue to fight for on your behalf.
