The Ministry of Education has begun an emergency cleanup at Sommerville School in Panmure, following media reports about the school’s hazardous building conditions. Pictures of mould, mushrooms, and leaky buildings made headlines earlier this month.
School principal Belinda Johnston said the cleanup started two weeks ago after public outcry about the school’s building crisis. She said that the Ministry of Education has committed to fixing the most urgent problems as soon as possible. However, she also noted that this action only took place after the issues were publicized.
Sommerville School works with 15 other schools across eastern Auckland, supporting students from Ōrākei Basin to Maraetai. Johnston said the school is struggling with a lack of space and deteriorating conditions. She emphasized that 40% of the students, who are Pasifika and Māori, are significantly affected by these conditions.
The school has had to close two classrooms and stop accepting new students due to a lack of space. Johnston said that a lack of maintenance has worsened the existing problems. She mentioned a flood caused by old plumbing that forced the school to close two classrooms, bathrooms, a meeting room, and a laundry room.
Sam Fowler, Ministry of Education head of property, admitted that the school’s property is in poor condition. He assured that they will continue to work on improving the building’s condition and that funding for ongoing maintenance is in place.
Johnston said the immediate cleanup is to address surface-level issues and ongoing flood damage. However, she stressed that urgent repairs are not enough to fix the school’s structural problems. The school is waiting for confirmation from the Ministry of Education about when the school will be rebuilt and whether the new plans will be suitable, considering central government funding cuts.
Fowler, on behalf of the ministry, said that a major redevelopment of the school is planned and construction is expected to begin in 2025. He acknowledged that the project has taken too long to deliver and welcomed the government’s inquiry into the school’s property function.
Local MP Jenny Salesa said the previous government committed to supporting the school’s rebuild to help vulnerable learners. She stressed that the current state of the school’s buildings is unhealthy and in disrepair, which is why investment in rebuilding a fit-for-purpose facility is necessary.
