12178 (2026). Hon Ginny Andersen to the Minister of Education

12178 (2026). Hon Ginny Andersen to the Minister of Education: What plans, if any, are in place to deal with the eventuality that schools using diesel boilers for heating are forced to discontinue due to the fuel crisis?

Hon Erica Stanford: I am advised by the Ministry of Education (the Ministry) that there are around 65 state schools, four state integrated schools, and a small number of school hostels, that use diesel boilers for heating or use diesel to generate electricity. The Ministry is developing a plan for each school, should diesel become unavailable or restricted. Continuity of school operations is the priority. The Ministry’s primary response will be to support schools to reduce fuel use. This may include limiting areas that are heated and reducing the hours of boiler operations. Each school has a different configuration of, and reliance on, diesel boilers. The Ministry will work with individual schools to identify a solution that is specific to their circumstances, such as providing alternative heating sources or boiler replacement where feasible. This is also my response to written parliamentary questions 12177, 12180 and 12184 (2026).