After 13 years of waiting, Christchurch deaf school’s move edges closer – but funding remains in limbo

Tuesday, 30 June 2026

Ko Taku Reo in Christchurch was formerly known as Van Asch Deaf School.

After 13 years in earthquake-damaged buildings, a deaf education centre in Sumner has welcomed a proposal to relocate to a purpose-built campus in Halswell – but the project still does not have funding approved.

Under the Ministry of Education proposal the Christchurch campus of Ko Taku Reo: Deaf Education New Zealand would move to a modern shared site on the corner of Curletts and Halswell roads, with Blind and Low Vision Education Network New Zealand and the Southern Health School.

The school was founded in 1880 and was formerly known as Van Asch College.

A proposal to relocate the campus to Halswell has been approved in principle by the Ko Taku Reo board.

The proposed new site in Halswell, formerly Spreydon Primary School, is currently occupied by the Southern Health School’s Christchurch campus.

Ko Taku Reo: Deaf Education New Zealand executive principal Amy Geue said the proposal was a “milestone moment” that would “give our learners the spaces and facilities they truly deserve”.

However, ministry regional infrastructure manager Southern Simon Cruickshank said a funding decision had not been made and would depend on the ministry gaining a clearer understanding of the cost of the project.

“Once the co-location proposal and business case have been progressed, a decision can then be made on whether the project will be funded. Time frames will become clearer at that point.”

The campus is the only Christchurch school rebuild project yet to enter construction, according to the ministry’s update.

Data for the 103 Christchurch schools with completed rebuilds shows an average rebuild cost of $12 million each.

The Press asked why the proposal had no funding allocated to it, despite the school being part of the rebuild project, but the ministry was unable to answer before deadline.

Geue said the ministry had confirmed that “ongoing remediation and maintenance costs” needed to address earthquake damage were “unsustainable in the long term”.

Ko Taku Reo: Deaf Education New Zealand executive principal Amy Geue says the proposal to relocate the Christchurch campus to a purpose-built facility is exciting but the community has a deep connection to the Sumner site.

The decision by the Ko Taku Reo board to approve the relocation plan, in principle, was subject to “final planning, and remains guided by a clear commitment to preserve Ko Taku Reo’s autonomy and unique character”, Geue said.

While the community had been living with earthquake-damaged buildings, there was a strong connection to the Sumner site, she said.

“We love the site because it does have a lot of heritage for us, but we’re also aware that maintaining that site long-term … is not viable for us.”

Gary Anaru, the ministry’s general manager of regional property operations, said a decision on the future of the Sumner site, if the relocation project goes ahead, had not been made.

Asked why the project had taken so long, Anaru said the merger of Van Asch College and Kelston Deaf Education Centre to form a national deaf education provider meant Ko Taku Reo first had to determine how deaf education would be delivered across New Zealand.

Although the Halswell site, at 1.5 hectares, is much smaller than the Sumner campus of 7.8ha, Anaru said it would meet future demand.

The Ko Taku Reo section of the proposed new facility in Halswell would accommodate 116 staff and include a small residential facility for up to 12 students, plus flexible spaces for short-term programmes, day courses and whānau engagement.

Southern Health School has about 65 students at its Christchurch campus, with teaching also delivered in homes, schools and other settings.

Anaru said the Blind and Low Vision Education Network New Zealand section would accommodate about 27 staff and provide flexible spaces for short-term student programmes and whānau support.