$2.1B Mahere Pūtea 2026: Whakawhanake Mātauranga Kura Tuarua Aotearoa

The 2026 Budget allocates $2.1 billion to continue building a world-leading education system in New Zealand, focusing on enhancing secondary curriculum development, professional learning for teachers, and expanding industry-aligned vocational pathways. Significant investments include $90 million for updating national qualifications through NZQA, $559 million for school infrastructure, and targeted funding for supporting diverse learner needs such as health, language, and special education. These initiatives build on prior reforms to improve literacy and numeracy, aiming to raise achievement, close equity gaps, and prepare students with skills aligned to the future workforce.