According to the NSW government, thanks to the unexpected $4.5 billion budget surplus, work on the building and upgrading of more than 120 schools across the state will start soon.

Announcing that $4.2 billion will be spent on new schools and significant school upgrades over four years, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and Education Minister Rob Stokes said this was a 61 per cent increase on last year’s commitment and is the biggest NSW Government investment in education infrastructure in the 229-year history of the state.

“The NSW Government is already building the roads, public transport and other hard infrastructure we need – now it’s time for a huge investment in the social infrastructure we need, including schools,” Berejiklian said.

Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the projects were part of a long-term commitment to ensure NSW schools are able to cater for increasing student numbers.

“This historic investment means the children of NSW will have access to world-class education in world-class facilities for decades to come,” Perrottet said.

Education Minister Rob Stokes said a newly created specialist school delivery unit, called School Infrastructure NSW, has been tasked with responsibility for planning, delivering and maintaining the expanded program of capital works and consulting with communities.

“Providing the schools to cater for the next generation of NSW students is a big task, but it’s a wonderful challenge to have,” Stokes said.

New high schools or major rebuilds will include schools at Picton, Sydney Olympic Park, and Oran Park, while new or upgraded primary schools are set to be delivered at locations right across the State including at Catherine Fields, North Kellyville, Penshurst, Schofields and Ryde.

Along with upgrades to schools, there is also money in the NSW budget for more roads and hospitals - with $1 billion set aside for several new projects including planning the M12, which will link the existing M7 with the future Badgerys Creek Airport, and a $123 million revitalisation of Sydney’s Parramatta Road.

There will also be a new hospital built at Tweed Heads in northern NSW at a cost of $534 million according to Perrottet.