Support for tumuaki | principals

The Principals' Helpline is managed by our Principal Support Officers and operates from Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm. 

0508 774 624 725
(0508 principal)

We also have five Principal Support Officers (PSOs) who work across the motu. These are experienced educators with extensive school leadership experience who work directly with tumuaki | principal members in a range of ways.

Besides supporting the implementation of work planned by the Principals Council of NZEI Te Riu Roa, they are also available to provide individual industrial and professional support to principals as needed. 

Support can be in the form of:

• A listening ear and a problem-solving approach
• Guidance with problems or challenges in your professional work
• Advice and representation in employment matters raised by your employer
• Updating and sharing information on all matters of importance to principal work
• Assisting with the development and maintenance of networks focused on principal matters
• Empowering members to engage, participate and take action to achieve the outcomes they want – whether this be in the system or in relation to their pay and conditions

We have visual resources you can print out as a reminder of the mahi our principal support officers do:

• Tumeke Tumuaki visual resource (black and white)
• Tumeke Tumuaki visual resource (colour)

Our Principals' Council provides a strong voice for principals in the work of NZEI Te Riu Roa and the wider education sector. 

The Council meets regularly to progress work to address issues faced by tumuaki | principals and to undertake projects aimed at improving support for their mahi. 

In this way principals’ views inform, shape and lead NZEI Te Riu Roa national campaigns and strategic planning.

The Council is a unique peak body made up of representatives from across the motu and all parts of NZEI Te Riu Roa joined by representatives of national principals’ organisations.

• Find out more about the Council and their contact details here.

NZEI Te Riu Roa members have negotiated better pay and conditions for principals. 

You can read the collective agreements for area school and primary principals below:

• Primary Principals Collective Agreement
• Area School Principals Collective Agreement

*Please call the Principal Helpline (0508PRINCIPAL) if you have any questions about your terms and conditions of employment.

• Join the principals' private Facebook group
• Connect with your principal support officer
• Contact the Principals' Council member for your rohe   

This is a dynamic resource for principals. Sections cover a range of topics including staff management, school leadership, administration and leadership in rural schools. The kit is updated as necessary in line with legislative and policy changes.

• You can find the Principals' Kit here.

The Rural and Teaching Principals' Conference is a popular conference providing professional learning and development that is relevant and practical while also supporting the hauora of rural and teaching principals. Designed by principals for principals in U1-3 schools, it is open to all and held in a different region each year.
 

An insights poll conducted by NZEI from 28 October to 5 November 2025 revealed that primary principals were at a breaking point, with 73% surveyed indicating they may quit within five years due to severe burnout. This potential exodus is driven by rapid, government-mandated curriculum changes implemented without adequate consultation.

Key findings include:

• 97% of primary principals consider the timeline for implementing the new curriculum changes unrealistic.
• 99% say the frequent policy and curriculum shifts have left insufficient time to consolidate previous changes.
• 99% report the pace of curriculum change has placed significant additional pressure on tumuaki and principals.
• 90% describe the professional learning and resources provided by the Ministry of Education to support implementation as insufficient.
• 96% confirm the cumulative effect of curriculum changes and increased workload has adversely impacted their health and wellbeing.

• 73% reveal they are likely to quit within the next five years due to the workload and wellbeing impacts of the curriculum changes

  Read the Media Release here.

Primary principals ratified a collective agreement offer on 24 February 2026 that included a $15,000 change management allowance, acknowledging the huge workload generated by the government’s rushed curriculum changes.

We regularly update tumuaki via email or their private Facebook group. These updates cover key sector information, NZEI campaigns and advocacy, and collective bargaining.

In a significant win for teachers and school leaders, the Minister of Education announced in May 2026 that she was pushing back the curriculum change implementation timeline following a sustained campaign by NZEI Te Riu Roa and a broad coalition of educators.

The shift followed an open letter to the Minister in April 2026, co-organised by NZEI Te Riu Roa and signed by a diverse breadth of educators, unions, and national education organisations. The letter warned that the scope, pace and direction of the Government’s sweeping curriculum changes were unworkable and threatened the quality of teaching and student learning outcomes.  

Read the Media Release here.

A principled and collective approach is helpful when you are concerned about the impact of new initiatives on tamariki. The Principled Approach document was developed through conversations with tumuaki, and was formally launched at the 2024 Rural Teaching Principals Conference. 

• You can read it here.