Balanced News: School building projects face delays and cost blowouts

A review of building projects at seven New Zealand schools has revealed delays and cost blowouts. One of the schools, Botany Downs Secondary College, has experienced leaks for four years despite a $20 million repair project being announced in 2019. Ministry of Education figures show that over half of the 111 school build projects worth over $10 million are between one and five years late, and a quarter are over budget by more than a third. Completed projects worth over $10 million have also faced budget overruns, but completion dates have been closer to their original estimates.