Māruawai College’s principal is ‘‘absolutely thrilled’’ after funding for eight new classrooms was announced yesterday by the Ministry of Education.

Education Minister Erica Stanford and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop confirmed $56.6 million in funding would be spent to bring facilities up to standard at six schools around the country.

The expenditure is part of a $2 billion investment in school infrastructure.

Māruawai College principal Mel Hamilton said it was a great relief to receive the funding for the classrooms at the Gore school, and she was already picking out the colours and the design for the finished build.

The project is part of a major, multi-stage development, which has already included a covered canopy and revitalised fields, to eventually bring the junior campus on to the main campus.

Two food rooms, one commercial and one domestic, will be included alongside three science laboratories, an art room with a kiln, and a specialist agriculture room alongside a general learning…