The complete transformation of the school is inspiring for one of its past students, Adel Salmanzadeh, who is now a Senior Advisor at the Ministry of Education in Auckland.
Adel spent 6 weeks at the centre when he arrived in New Zealand in 1989. He says that the new facilities are incredible compared to the old buildings; although he has many fond memories from the past – especially meeting his future wife, Maxine, while staying at the centre.
“Walking in, to see the difference between the old and new is remarkable.
“When I originally stayed there, they still had blackboards in the classrooms. Now, there’s digital devices, multimedia, whiteboards - and everything is state-of-the-art.
“Refugees get the same resources for learning as at any other school in New Zealand. It’s amazing to see the level of commitment from this country to refugees.”
Refugees stay 6 weeks at the centre after arrival in New Zealand, and their studies while at the school include English language and practical life skills.
NewZealand currently takes 1,000 refugees a year from around the world, including Syria, Myanmar, Colombia and Afghanistan.
About the project
The construction project was managed by the Ministry of Education with a budget of $6.9 million. AUT is the education provider for the school, which teaches both adults and children.
An early child education centre is also being rebuilt as a separate project.