New Henbury School promised ahead of Casuarina by-election in the NT

The Northern Territory Government has denied a $30 million announcement for a new school for special-needs children is connected to an upcoming by-election.

Education Minister Peter Chandler on Tuesday announced the Government was committed to building a new Henbury School to replace the current one, which is overcapacity and will be destroyed.

Henbury takes children in middle and senior school years who have IQs of 70 or below and are in need of intensive support.

Mr Chandler said the Government was "always looking" at how it could construct a new Henbury School and the latest move was not a result of efforts from Dr Harry Kypreos, the Country Liberals candidate in the Casuarina by-election, which is being held this weekend.

"There was $10 million in last year's budget, the reality was, was that going to build a new school? I'd say no," Mr Chandler said.

"I always knew that we would have to, at some stage, we'd have to contribute more towards this, and this is an opportunity to do just that."

But the announcement of the new funding commitment was made in a Government media release titled: "Kypreos delivers for Henbury School."

The statement said Dr Kypreos and the Country Liberals had secured the school commitment, as well as a 22-seat bus to transport students and a transportable building with two classrooms.

Last week the ALP's candidate for Casuarina, Lauren Moss, met with parents at Henbury School and promised to advocate to ensure the students have learning and social opportunities.

On Monday Ms Moss released part of a letter from a parent of a student at Henbury who said they had been unsuccessfully seeking meetings with the Government for more than nine months.

Dr Kypreos said the new school would be the first in 30 years for the area and would have a capacity of 120, more than the current school that was built for 40 children but now teaches 96 pupils.