Millions of dollars have been spent upgrading Dunedin schools to cater for physically disabled pupils.
Ministry of Education education infrastructure service manager Kim Shannon told The Star $8 million had been spent on 119 special-needs modification projects at 48 Dunedin schools in the last 10 years.
'These modifications help ensure that the schools are accessible for all current and future special needs students', she said.
Tainui School is one of the schools planning to upgrade its access, pending approval from the ministry. Its $162,000 building project would see a new veranda, break-out room, resource room and ramp added to one of its prefab blocks.
In addition, a wheelchair-friendly path would be installed through the lower parts of 'the adventure', a bush area behind the school where children played.
The special-needs-related part of the upgrade was being funded by the Ministry of Education and the rest by the school.
The school already has eight ramps providing wheelchair access to buildings and a special toilet for disabled pupils.
Principal Shelley Wilde said Tainui School had two pupils in wheelchairs who both had very different needs. The project would cater for one of these pupils.
The focus was on providing 'equitable access' so disabled pupils were not restricted on where they could go.
Tahuna Normal Intermediate School principal Tony Hunter said the school was planning an upgrade project to meet the needs of pupils in wheelchairs which he hoped would be finished by the start of next year.
Doorways and fire doors would be changed and ramps and elevators installed, among other things. The cost of the upgrade would be substantial, he said.
The school was awaiting approval from the Ministry of Education before work could start.
New Zealand's new inclusive education policy allowed pupils with disabilities to attend the same schools as everyone else and this was a good thing, Mr Hunter said.
According to the ministry, when pupils and staff with special needs first join the school, the ministry would give mainstream schools' boards of trustees property funding.
The property modifications needed for a pupil's first-time enrolment such as ramps, ablution facilities and lifts, would be decided by the ministry and discussed with the board and the pupil's caregiver.
The ministry and board would agree a budget for modifications needed to support the pupil's needs.
