Labour to give parents confidence in their children’s education

Labour will give parents confidence that their children are receiving a high-quality education built on evidence, expertise and long-term stability, rather than the political priorities of the Government of the day.

Labour Education spokesperson Ginny Andersen today announced plans for an Independent Council for Curriculum and Assessment (ICCA), which would provide expert leadership of New Zealand’s curriculum and assessment system.

“Every child deserves the opportunity to succeed, and parents should be able to trust that what their children are learning is rigorous, evidence-based and designed for New Zealand,” Ginny Andersen said.

“Parents want confidence that their child will leave school able to read, write, communicate, think critically and succeed in modern New Zealand. That requires a coherent curriculum, high expectations and stable settings that schools have the time and support to deliver well.

“Teachers also need the certainty to focus on teaching, rather than constantly scrambling to implement rushed or politically driven changes.

“Whether governments are left or right, curriculum and assessment decisions should be guided by evidence, educational expertise and what will improve learning.

“Governments will continue to set the broad goals and expectations for our education system. That democratic accountability will remain. But detailed curriculum and assessment design should be led by expert educators and assessment specialists, not rewritten according to the preferences of individual Ministers.”

Under Labour:

• The ICCA will be established in legislation to oversee New Zealand’s curriculum and assessment system.
• An interim expert group will be established within Labour’s first three months to provide immediate advice on curriculum and assessment.
• The rollout of curriculum changes that have not yet been implemented will be paused for one year, giving schools breathing room and experts time to assess what should proceed.
• Maths and English work already underway will continue, with appropriate support for schools.
• The current NCEA system will remain in place unchanged until 2029, allowing the Council’s advice to be considered and any future changes to be properly planned and phased in.
• Existing baseline education funding will be reprioritised to establish and operate the Council itself, at an expected cost of $500,000 a year.

“This is not about creating another layer of bureaucracy or going back to square one. It is about building a coherent curriculum, avoiding rushed changes and improving educational outcomes for students,” Ginny Andersen said.

“We will keep what is working, carefully assess changes that are underway and make future decisions based on evidence and expert advice.

“Good curriculum reform takes time. It requires professional expertise, proper implementation and the confidence of the parents, teachers and schools who rely on it.

“Labour will provide the stability and trust our schools and families need. We are inviting National to join us in a bipartisan commitment to protect curriculum and assessment from constant political upheaval.

“Our children deserve an education system that puts their learning first, gives every learner the opportunity to succeed and reflects who we are as New Zealanders.

“Let teachers teach. Let experts do their jobs. And give parents confidence in what their children are learning,” Ginny Andersen said.