The Government is building two new specialist schools for children with complex learning needs.  

The schools in Palmerston North and South Auckland will open in 2027 and 2028 respectively.  

Education Minister Erica Stanford says debate has raged on whether such children should be in mainstream or special schools.  

She told Kerre Woodham that there’s an argument that every single child should be mainstream no matter the degree of need, but it was never going to happen. 

Stanford says they’re the first government in a very long time to draw the line and say it’s about choice – if your children need highly specialised care, then that should be a choice that is available to you. 

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