Ngā iti Kahurangi - Whangaehu School 250th Milestone

Ngā iti Kahurangi is the te reo name for the programme and directly translates to “small and highly-valued treasures”.

About the Programme:

Ngā Iti Kahurangi started as a 4-year programme for approximately 585 schools in conjunction with the wider Government target of all schools having quality learning environments by 2030.

As part of Budget 2023, the Minister of Finance announced an extension of the programme to 175 small schools.

The programme includes:

• small schools
• schools that are remote (large and small)
  
  

The Tomorrow’s Schools Review noted that small or remote schools face unique property challenges. For example, the high cost of getting building contractors and the significant time that boards and principals spend managing property projects.

Ngā Iti Kahurangi seeks to improve lighting, noise levels, temperature, energy efficiency and comfort.

Improvements include LEDs, acoustic panels in teaching spaces, thermal insulation in ceilings, residual current devices (RCDs) and carpet tiles in primary school teaching spaces.

At Whangaehu School, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education New Zealand, we've upgraded the learning environment with a full makeover:

• 13 bales of insulation to keep the temperature just right
• 37 lights illuminating every corner of the school
• 39 Residual Current Devices (RCDs) for enhanced safety
• 122 acoustic panels for a noise-free and focused atmosphere

How it works

Three of the planned improvements may be installed school-wide (LEDs, insulation and RCDs).

We have standards for light levels and acoustic performance in teaching spaces. Information gathered during a site visit will tell us how bright or dark a room is, and how noisy it gets. New lighting and acoustic panels will be installed depending on how a teaching space performs.

To determine if carpet tiles are required, the programme assesses the condition, age and thickness of existing carpet in teaching spaces at primary schools.

We're on a mission to create better learning spaces for our future generations and this 250th milestone brings us closer.

Find out more about the Ngā Iti Kahurangi programme here: https://www.education.govt.nz/our-work/changes-in-education/nga-iti-kahurangi/