One Year - Education

We want all kids in New Zealand to have a world-leading education that sets them up for success. We’ve invested an extra $2.9 billion to transform our education system and lift student achievement.

This Government is serious about lifting student achievement and our Government targets reflect that. We’re committed to making sure that, by December 2030:

·         80 per cent of students are present for more than 90 per cent of the term.

·         80 per cent of Year 8 students are at or above the expected curriculum level for their age in reading, writing and maths.

We’ve set six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system:

·         Establishing a knowledge-rich curriculum grounded in the science of learning.

·         Implementing evidence-based instruction in early literacy and mathematics.

·         Implementing consistent modes of monitoring student progress and achievement.

·         Targeting effective learning support interventions for students with additional needs.

·         Developing the workforce of the future, including leadership development pathways for teachers.

·         Using high-performing data and evidence to inform decision-making in the education system.

 Teaching the basics brilliantly

To ensure kids have the fundamental skills they need we’ve made sure all primary and intermediate students are taught maths, reading, and writing for at least an hour every day. 

We have improved outcomes for Kiwi kids by making sure that all state schools teach reading using the proven structured literacy approach from Term 1 2025. This includes a $67 million commitment to provide professional development and resources for teachers, and phonics checks to assess student progress and target support to students that need it.

We’ve launched a maths action plan to tackle New Zealand’s chronic problem with maths. This includes a new maths curriculum from Term 1 2025, professional development for teachers, regular assessments and targeted support, and greater accountability to lift maths achievement.

In our first 100 days we removed distractions from classrooms by banning cell phone use during the school day to lift engagement and achievement.