The proposed establishment of an independent Curriculum and Assessment Council can avert curriculum instability becoming the norm for New Zealand teachers and learners, NZEI Te Riu Roa says.
NZEI Te Riu Roa President Ripeka Lessels said the Labour Party’s support for a Curriculum and Assessment Council would be welcomed by educators, but cross-party support will be critical to its success.
“One of our members’ key election demands is for an independent Curriculum and Assessment Council that is not reset every election cycle, is educator- and needs-driven, is grounded in evidence, and upholds Te Tiriti o Waitangi,” Mrs Lessels said.
“The rushed and sweeping curriculum changes since the Coalition Government assumed office in 2023 have created significant turbulence for teachers, school leaders, ākonga, and their whānau.
“Unless we have a cross-party framework for curriculum reform and we repeal the Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Act, the curriculum can be overhauled at any time and at the whim of whichever political party is in power,” Mrs Lessels noted.
The System Reform Act, which became law in June despite widespread opposition from educators, allows the Minister of Education to change the curriculum without a review or report from the Ministry of Education. It also shifts decision-making from schools and communities to central government.
In its Platform for Change 2026, NZEI Te Riu Roa is calling for cross-party commitments to five key actions over the next five years to boost the quality of teaching and learning for tamariki:
- Funding a teacher aide in every class
- Investing in quality early childhood education
- Valuing educators better
- Upholding Te Tiriti in the curriculum and wider education system, and
- Creating an independent Curriculum and Assessment Council.