Articles tagged with Education Minister
New Charter School Te Whare Kounga to Open in Wairoa Term 3 2026
5 days ago | 105 viewsAssociate Education Minister David Seymour announced that Te Whare Kounga, a new charter school in Wairoa, will open in Term 3, 2026 to address the high rates of youth disengagement by offering a hands-on, locally relevant curriculum tailored to students' needs. The charter school model provides the same funding as state schools but with greater flexibility and stricter accountability, enabling innovative community-driven education solutions. Te Whare Kounga joins five other new charter schools opening in 2026, bringing the total to 18, with more expected as the government encourages both new establishments and conversions from state schools.
Tags: David Seymour Te Whare Kounga Te Papatipu Matihiko Wairoa Charter School Agency Authorisation Board NCEA Associate Education Minister New Zealand Charter SchoolsBudget 2025 Boosts Learning Support with $746M Investment for NZ Schools
5 days ago | 95 viewsThe Government is implementing its Budget 2025 plan by investing $746.7 million to enhance learning support in schools, benefiting hundreds of thousands of students nationwide. Key initiatives include hiring Learning Support Coordinators, expanding the Ongoing Resourcing Scheme, increasing Early Intervention Services, and funding additional Teacher Aide hours, alongside structured literacy and maths intervention programs. To ensure effectiveness, an induction program for Learning Support Coordinators is being launched to provide consistent training and maximize their impact on student achievement.
Tags: Erica Stanford Budget 2025 Learning Support Coordinators Early Intervention Services Teacher Aide Hours Ongoing Resourcing Scheme Ministry of Education Structured Literacy Maths Intervention Education MinisterTerm 4 2025 School Attendance Hits Highest Rate Since 2022, Says Minister
2 weeks ago | 176 viewsAssociate Education Minister David Seymour announced that Term 4 2025 school attendance reached 57.3%, the highest since 2022, reflecting a steady increase due to government initiatives and parental involvement. Regional attendance was highest in Central and East Auckland at 62.5%, and the government is implementing Attendance Management Plans with escalating interventions for absences to further improve rates. Enhanced frontline attendance services, supported by $140 million funding in Budget 2025, aim to ensure consistent attendance, which is crucial for positive educational and life outcomes.
Tags: David Seymour Simon Clarke Associate Education Minister Term 4 attendance Auckland Attendance Service Provider Attendance Management Plan Budget 2025New Parent Portal Updates Help Kiwi Parents Support Kids' Learning at Home
1 month ago | 300 viewsThe Ministry of Education has launched an updated Parent Portal featuring the refreshed curriculum for Years 0 to 10, enabling parents to clearly understand and support their children's learning at home. The portal will also include curriculum-aligned resources, starting with a free online math practice tool for Years 3 to 8, with additional content coming in January. Education Minister Erica Stanford emphasizes that these updates aim to enhance educational achievement by providing clarity and tools for both teachers and parents.
Tags: Parent Portal Education Minister Erica Stanford Ministry of Education refreshed curriculum Year 0 to Year 10 maths practice tool online learning resources educational achievement Kiwi kids curriculum consultationEducation Minister Erica Stanford Announces New Pay Deal for Area School Principals
1 month ago | 335 viewsEducation Minister Erica Stanford announced the successful renewal of the Area School Principals’ Collective Agreement, which benefits over 140 principals with improved pay and conditions. Key enhancements include a 4.7% pay increase, a $6,000 NCEA Change Implementation Allowance, phased increases to principal payments, and a $5,000 mentor allowance. The settlement reflects a commitment to professional development, student achievement, and productive negotiations supporting rural school leadership.
Tags: Erica Stanford Area School Principals Education Minister pay negotiations collective agreement rural communities professional learning student achievement NCEA Change Implementation Allowance Career Structure paymentsGovernment-Backed KidsCan ECE Food Programme Boosts Child Development and Wellbeing
1 month ago | 280 viewsThe Ministry of Education’s ECE Food Programme Kōhanga Reo Survey Report highlights strong support for KidsCan’s delivery of taxpayer-funded meals to up to 10,000 early childhood education (ECE) children, with high ratings for reliability, food safety, communication, flexibility, and professionalism. The report shows significant improvements in children’s physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development linked to the programme, including better energy, concentration, mood, and social interactions. With $4 million in annual government funding and expected taxpayer savings of $145 million in 2026, KidsCan’s programme continues to expand, supporting more children’s nutrition and learning outcomes.
Tags: KidsCan Mr Seymour Sir Peter Gluckman Ministry of Education Associate Education Minister ECE Food Programme Kōhanga Reo Healthy School Lunch Early Childhood Education taxpayer funded mealsHistoric Settlement Advances Support for Disabled Students in NZ Schools
1 month ago | 314 viewsThe Government has settled a 2012 Human Rights Review Tribunal claim by IHC regarding education policies that disadvantaged disabled students, committing to a Framework for Action to improve support for disabled and neurodiverse learners. This framework includes better data collection, improved specialist services, coordinated education agencies, inclusive curriculum, accessible infrastructure, and investigations into funding and ableism impacts. Significant investments, including $750 million in Budget 25, have been made to increase teacher aide hours, expand early intervention, overhaul funding models, and enhance curriculum and school infrastructure to ensure timely and adequate support for students with additional needs.
Tags: Erica Stanford IHC Ministry of Education Human Rights Review Tribunal Bill of Rights Act Learning Support Ongoing Resourcing Scheme New Zealand Curriculum Budget 25 Education MinisterNew Pay Agreement Boosts Secondary Principals' Salaries and Support in NZ
2 months ago | 361 viewsEducation Minister Erica Stanford announced the successful renewal of the Secondary Principals’ Collective Agreement, approved by the Secondary Principals’ Association of NZ and the Post Primary Teachers Association. The agreement includes a 4.7% base salary increase, a new $15,000 allowance for leading NCEA changes, and recognition for supporting aspiring principals, benefiting around 330 secondary principals from Term 1 next year. Stanford emphasized the importance of principals in raising student achievement and thanked all parties involved for constructive negotiations aimed at supporting teachers and students.
Tags: Erica Stanford Secondary Principals’ Association of NZ SPANZ Post Primary Teachers Association PPTA Secondary Principals’ Collective Agreement Sir Brian Roche Education Minister secondary principals NCEASecondary Teachers Secure Pay Rise in New Collective Agreement Settlement
2 months ago | 295 viewsEducation Minister Erica Stanford has welcomed the successful conclusion of pay negotiations for nearly 25,000 secondary teachers following a majority vote by the Post Primary Teachers' Association members to accept the settlement. The agreement includes a cumulative pay increase of up to 4.7% by January 2027, increased management allowances, and the introduction of a Principal’s Nominee Allowance. This settlement reflects the government's commitment to investing in education and supporting teachers to deliver high-quality learning for students.
Tags: Erica Stanford Post Primary Teachers' Association PPTA Secondary Teachers Secondary Teachers’ Collective Agreement STCA Education Minister Principal’s Nominee Allowance New Zealand Teachers Pay NegotiationsEducation Minister Announces Pay Rise Settlement for Community Educators
2 months ago | 301 viewsEducation Minister Erica Stanford has welcomed the successful conclusion of pay negotiations for community education professionals after PPTA members voted to accept the settlement. The Community Education Collective Agreement (CECA) will provide pay increases benefiting over 1,000 community educators who support lifelong learning in areas such as adult education, music, and specialist tutoring. Stanford emphasized the valuable role of community education providers and highlighted the settlement as a positive result of good faith bargaining.
Tags: Erica Stanford Education Minister Post Primary Teachers' Association PPTA Community Education Collective Agreement CECA community education lifelong learning pay negotiations community educatorsNZ and Estonia Strengthen Education Ties to Boost Student Success and AI Learning
2 months ago | 239 viewsEducation Minister Erica Stanford welcomed Estonian Education Minister Dr. Kristina Kallas to New Zealand to exchange insights on their high-performing education systems and reforms. They discussed Estonia’s success in achieving strong academic results with equity, particularly in reading, math, and science, and explored Estonia’s AI-Leap programme integrating AI literacy into education. The visit also included meetings with New Zealand education officials and emphasized ongoing collaboration in science, research, and education innovation between the two countries.
Tags: Erica Stanford Kristina Kallas Education Minister Estonia New Zealand OECD PISA Auckland University of Technology Ministry of EducationNew Zealand Education Reform Bill Advances to Improve Teacher Training and School Standards
2 months ago | 309 viewsThe Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Bill aims to strengthen New Zealand’s education system by improving initial teacher education quality, aligning system-level settings, and enhancing school property management through a new Crown agency. It introduces updated curriculum requirements, tighter school attendance rules, enhanced oversight of private schools, and expanded support for charter schools to increase educational options and innovation. The bill also mandates participation in international assessments, recognizes micro-credentials, and refines processes to better support student success and system responsiveness.
Tags: Erica Stanford Seymour Education Minister Teaching Council Ministry of Education Education Review Office TALIS report NZQA OECD Charter schoolsNew Zealand Education Reform Bill Advances to Improve Teacher Quality and School Standards
2 months ago | 347 viewsThe Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Bill aims to strengthen New Zealand’s education system by improving initial teacher education quality, aligning system-level settings, and enhancing school property management through a new Crown agent. It introduces updated curriculum requirements, tighter school attendance rules, transfers regulatory functions to the Education Review Office, and supports charter school expansion to increase educational options. These reforms seek to ensure better student outcomes, clearer standards, and greater accountability across the education sector.
Tags: Erica Stanford Seymour Education Minister Teaching Council Ministry of Education Education Review Office TALIS report NZQA OECD Secretary of EducationBoosting School Attendance: Insights from Education Minister David Seymour
2 months ago | 364 viewsAssociate Education Minister David Seymour expressed disappointment over a drop in attendance rates in the last week of Term 3, attributing it to strike action disrupting learning. The decline in attendance was significant, with almost 20,000 students leaving early, prompting the need for schools to have an attendance management plan in place. Interventions outlined in the plan include escalating responses for declining attendance, with a focus on improving data monitoring and case management to ensure all students have the opportunity for positive educational outcomes.
Tags: David Seymour Education Minister Attendance Term 3 Strike action AMP Education and Training Amendment Bill Daily attendance reporting Frontline attendance servicesEducation Minister Praises Ellen MacGregor-Reid as New Secretary for Education
2 months ago | 400 viewsEllen MacGregor-Reid has been appointed as the new Secretary for Education, a role she has been acting in since October 2024. She has a strong background in education leadership, having held senior positions at the Ministry of Education since 2015. The Education Minister, Erica Stanford, highlights MacGregor-Reid's role in driving the government's education agenda and expresses optimism about working together to improve outcomes for all students.
Tags: Education Minister Erica Stanford Secretary for Education reforms achievement outcomes young people New Zealand Ministry of Education