14 Oct 2026
1 week ago
219 views
New Zealand's recent independent assessments reveal significant improvements in primary and intermediate students' mathematics, reading comprehension, and vocabulary, marking a turnaround in educational achievement. The government’s comprehensive reforms—focused on curriculum clarity, literacy and numeracy approaches, teacher training, and targeted support—have led to measurable gains, including accelerated progress in maths and substantial phonics improvements, especially among Māori and disadvantaged students. These positive trends are supported by multiple data sources, such as PAT, Curriculum Insights, and OECD PISA results, showing narrowed socio-economic gaps and enhanced student outcomes nationwide.
12 Oct 2026
1 week ago
207 views
Over the past three years, the government has focused on lifting educational achievement and closing the equity gap by providing a world-leading, knowledge-rich curriculum with strong support for literacy, numeracy, and teacher resources. Recognizing that the current NCEA system is inadequate, they are replacing it with a new qualification framework and raising the school leaving age to ensure students complete Year 11, which will include compulsory English, maths, and science. These reforms aim to create an education system grounded in excellence and equity, giving every young New Zealander the time and tools to build essential skills and achieve their potential.
25 Feb 2026
8 months ago
1386 views
Education Minister Erica Stanford has announced the successful renewal of the Primary Principals’ Collective Agreement, ratified by NZEI members, covering around 1,300 primary principals. The settlement includes immediate and future pay increases, a $15,000 Curriculum Change Allowance, and an increased Leadership in Literacy and Numeracy payment, recognizing principals' leadership during educational reforms. Stanford emphasized the importance of principals' roles in schools and communities and thanked the Public Service Commissioner for facilitating the negotiations.
19 Aug 2025
1 year ago
1435 views
Education Minister Erica Stanford emphasizes the importance of focusing on literacy and numeracy skills, as highlighted by the latest Curriculum Insights & Progress Study (CIPS) data collected in Term 4 2024. The government's initiatives, including an hour a day dedicated to reading, writing, and maths, have shown improvements in maths achievement and writing against the new curriculum standards. The ongoing education reforms aim to provide strong foundations for students, with structured literacy in primary schools, a new Maths and English curriculum, and targeted interventions to support student learning.