Rushed and sweeping curriculum changes being railroaded by the Government are generating unprecedented workload pressures for teachers, according to a survey of nearly 7,800 educators across 700 primary schools.
The data, gathered by NZEI Te Riu Roa to support recent collective bargaining claims, exposes the extreme stress borne by teachers and the resulting toll on learners, who are struggling and becoming disengaged.
Key findings from the survey include:
- 87.5% of primary teachers reported an increased workload, with 44.4% taking on more than two additional hours per week due to curriculum changes
- 83.2% of respondents feel overwhelmed by the pace and extent of change, with 68.9% describing the scale of the required adjustments to their teaching practice as unprecedented.
- 77.6% believe the rollout is rushed and poorly managed, citing a lack of professional learning and resources.
- 76.4% highlighted the need for more support for students with additional learning needs to navigate the new curriculum.
- Nearly half (49.6%) of teachers reported increased behavioural and learning issues, suggesting resources should be focused on student support rather than curriculum reform.
“We are being asked to deliver unprecedented changes without the necessary resources or professional learning development, and it is ultimately our tamariki who will pay the price for this lack of support,” NZEI Te Riu Roa primary teacher leader Liam Rutherford said.
“This survey reflects teacher response to changes to the literacy and numeracy curriculum areas over the past 18 months. This sense of being overwhelmed comes before the Government mandating rushed changes to science, social sciences, and health and physical education next year, followed by the arts, technology, and learning languages from the start of 2028.”
“The pace of these changes is unsustainable. When nearly half of primary teachers are forced to work extra hours every week just to keep up with the rollout, we risk a wave of burnout,” he added.
NZEI Te Riu Roa national member leader Barb Curran said the impact on the classroom is already visible.
“It is concerning that half of our teachers are seeing a rise in student behavioural and learning issues while we are being railroaded by these reforms. The Government must prioritise student support over a rushed and poorly managed curriculum rollout,” Ms Curran said.
In late April, NZEI Te Riu Roa and the New Zealand Principals’ Federation published an open letter to the Minister of Education in major newspapers nationwide. The letter demanded that the Government pause the rollout as opposition to the direction, scope and pace of the reforms continues to swell.
The open letter was signed by a wide range of educators, peak bodies, and subject associations, signalling a unified front against the changes.