Kura rebuild a ‘dream come true’

Recently it was announced that the redevelopment of the kura had been upscaled by $5.9 million to $21.7 million.

The additional investment will enable the Mangere-based kura to relocate to a larger area on the site it shares with Southern Cross Campus. This means that any future roll growth at the kura will be able to be accommodated.

Principal Arihia Stirling has led the school for the past 20 years and is also a former student.

“For this community, we have worked extremely hard to have this outcome and the students, staff, iwi, kaumātua, kuia and whanau feel that we deserve it,” she says.

Ms Stirling says the students at the kura are excited and looking forward to using their new facilities.

“Our students are happy that they will have the opportunity to be in a fully equipped school with all the facilities that they should have. The lack of space and facilities will no longer be a problem."

“The community, staff and students are most excited about how we’re designing our school to incorporate and capture the stories of Te Waiohua and the local iwi, Tainui."

“These designs have been created by our elders, and the mokopuna of our school and we thank our main designer and artist, Sunnah Thompson, who is also an ex-pupil of Nga Tapuwae.”

In 2012, it was announced that $15.8m would be invested in an upgrade of the kura, including a new multi-purpose centre, teaching spaces and library.