A joint statement to Minister of Education Erica Stanford opposing the rushed and poorly designed changes has seen a surge in support, with more educators and peak bodies calling for an immediate pause.

Originally issued on March 24 following a hui organised by the New Zealand Principals’ Federation (NZPF) and NZEI Te Riu Roa, the nation’s most powerful education union, the statement – published today in major newspapers nationwide – has been endorsed by a breadth of educators, peak bodies, and subject associations, signalling a unified front against the changes.

Education leaders says they oppose the changes due to their frantic pace, flawed direction, and a lack of genuine consultation.

They warn that pushing ahead without sector buy-in risks failing the very students the changes are intended to support.

“As they stand, the current draft curriculum documents and framework are not fit for purpose and do not meet the Ministry of Education’s own stated standards,” the educators said in the statement.

It said the changes do not honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi and have been “driven by the narrow, ideological interests of a small group”.

“The pace of curriculum change is unreasonable, has layered multiple demands on schools and kura, and has created huge workloads on the sector,” they said.

“This will have significant negative impacts, including impacting on the recruitment and retention of teachers.”

“The sector has not been adequately resourced, nor has it been given enough time, to consider or implement the expected change,” the educators added.

NZEI Te Riu Roa president Ripeka Lessels says if the Minister truly cares about improving the educational outcomes for New Zealand’s children, she will pause the changes “and bring the profession into the room to design a curriculum that actually works”. PHOTO: Facebook

Educators have said they do not support the Government proposal to remove ITE oversight from the Teaching Council, opposing the move to bring professional standards directly under the Ministry.

The collective view is that professional standards should be overseen by teachers themselves, not directly by government departments and educators have accused the Ministry of manufacturing crises to justify rapid, top-down changes, suggesting that reforms are harming the sector.

In other open letters to the Minister, sector heavyweights have regularly emphasised that education improvements should be led by sector expertise rather than political directives.

A substantial collective pushback has also lamented the removal of Te Tiriti o Waitangi requirements and changes to the Teaching Council’s power.

NZPF president Jason Miles said proposals as significant as the curriculum reforms floated “need to be made thoughtfully, not urgently, and must involve the professionals implementing them”.

“We’re continually frustrated by the Education Minister’s misplaced enthusiasm while the sector is reeling.

“Despite the extremely limited timeframe to review the curriculum packages, we have coordinated feedback from sector leaders to accurately represent the views and needs of principals and tumuaki across New Zealand.

“It’s now time for the Minister to do her part by listening to and acting on our shared concerns,” Miles said.

NZEI Te Riu Roa president Ripeka Lessels described the Government’s sweeping curriculum changes as a reckless departure from evidence-based learning that will leave both teachers and tamariki behind.

“Educators are being told to implement a total curriculum overhaul at a breakneck pace and with minimal support, which is a recipe for failure,” Lessels said.

“If the Minister truly cares about improving the educational outcomes for our Tamariki (children), she will pause these changes and bring the profession into the room to design a curriculum that actually works.”

List of educators, peak bodies, and subject associations who signed the joint statement:

  • Jason Miles, President, New Zealand Principals’ Federation
  • Ripeka Lessels, Te Manukura | President, NZEI Te Riu Roa
  • Neke Adams, Te Tai Tokerau Area Council, NZEI Te Riu Roa
  • Kim Alexander, President, Selwyn Principals’ Association
  • Professor Vivienne Anderson, Dean, College of Education, University of Otago
  • Frances Arapere, Te Haunui Central Area Council, NZEI Te Riu Roa
  • Amanda Bennett, President, Waitākere Area Principals’ Association
  • Kaz Bissett, President, South Otago Principals’ Association
  • Kim Blackwood, President, Otago Primary Principals’ Association
  • Russell Burt, Chairman, Tāmaki Community Development Trust
  • Yvonne Catherwood, President, Buller Principals’ Association
  • Rachel Chater, President, Kawerau Principals’ Association
  • Bridget Chilton, Te Rāngai Matanga Kaiwhakaako, NZEI Te Riu Roa
  • Nikki Clarke, Member, Canterbury Association of Intermediate and Middle Schools
  • Dr Claire Coleman, Aotearoa Educators Collective
  • Simon Craggs, President, Papakura Principals’ Association
  • Glenn Davies, Northern Wairoa President, Tai Tokerau Principals’ Association
  • Anna Davis, Area Council Chair, Waitaha, NZEI Te Riu Roa
  • Thomas Davison, President, Te Manihi Tumuaki, Northland Secondary School Principals’ Association
  • Stu Devenport, Lower Hutt Cluster President, Wellington Regional Primary Principals’ Association
  • Mandy Dodds, President, West Coast Principals’ Association
  • Dr Therese Ford, National Coordinator, Te Akapūmau
  • Vaughan Franklin, North Hamilton Cluster President, Waikato Principals’ Association
  • Sally Griffin and Cassie Katene, Co-convenors, Te Ope Kohungahunga (Early Childhood National Leadership Group), NZEI Te Riu Roa
  • Maia Hall, Auckland Women’s Centre
  • Mark Harris, President, Gisborne Principals’ Association
  • Celeste Hawkins, Support Staff National Caucus Kaiawhina Tautoko, NZEI Te Riu Roa
  • Martin Hett, President, Ōtaki-Kāpiti Principals’ Association
  • Dr Paul Heyward, Professional Teaching Fellow, Teacher Education Forum of Aotearoa New Zealand
  • Hamish Hislop, Co-President, Whiria New Plymouth Principals’ Association
  • Sam Hocking, Co-President, Hawke’s Bay Principals’ Association
  • Sophie Hoskins, on behalf of Fiona McDonald, Education Outdoors New Zealand
  • Antoinette Hudson, Co-chair, Waikato Area Council, NZEI Te Riu Roa
  • Ben Hutchings, President, Mangere Principals’ Association
  • Associate Professor Naomi Ingram, University of Otago and member of Teacher Education Forum of Aotearoa New Zealand
  • Bert Iosia, President, New Zealand Pasifika Principals Association
  • Bruce Jepsen, Te Manukura, Te Akatea
  • Jason Johnson, Special Education National Reference Group
  • Jude Karaitiana, Co-chair, Central East Area Council, NZEI Te Riu Roa
  • Rachael Kavermann and Zac Markham, Co-convenors, Ngā Aukaha, NZEI Te Riu Roa National Leadership Group
  • Dave Lamont, President, Taita-Stokes Valley Kāhui Ako
  • Andrew Leverton, President, Mid-Canterbury Principals’ Association
  • Robyn Lose, Chair, Bay of Plenty/Te Rohe o Te Waiariki Area Council, NZEI Te Riu Roa
  • Maree Lucas, President, North Canterbury Principals’ Association
  • Annmaree MacGregor, President, Whangārei Principals’ Association
  • Stephanie Madden, Chair, NZEI Te Riu Roa Principals’ Council
  • Associate Professor Dr Richard Manning, University of Canterbury
  • Maiana McCurdy, Chair, North Shore-Hibiscus Rōpū, NZEI Te Riu Roa
  • Donna McDonald, Co-President, Mana Primary Principals’ Association
  • Heemi McDonald, Physical Education New Zealand
  • Malcolm Milner, Eden-Albert Cluster President, Auckland Primary Principals’ Association
  • Jan Monds, Convenor, Support Staff National Caucus Kaiawhina Tautoko, NZEI Te Riu Roa
  • Brendon Morrissey, President, Te Tai Tokerau Principals’ Association
  • Glenys Murphy, Te Haunui Central Area Council
  • Lucy Naylor, President, Auckland Primary Principals’ Association
  • Chris North, Education Outdoors New Zealand
  • Zara and Debbie North, Counties Manukau Area Council, NZEI Te Riu Roa
  • Amanda O’Brien, Interim President, South Canterbury Principals’ Association
  • Gary O’Brien, President, North Shore Principals’ Association
  • Saane Faaofo Oldehaver, President, Manurewa Principals’ Association
  • Craig Pentecost, President, Western Bay of Plenty Principals’ Association
  • Alicia Poroa, Megan Collins, and Maria Perreau, Aotearoa Social Studies Educators’ Network
  • Shirley Porteous, President, Wellington Regional Primary Principals’ Association
  • Mark Potter, Founding member, Education for All
  • Dr Matiu Ratima, Senior Lecturer, Mātauraka Māori, College of Education, University of Otago
  • Nick Raynor, President, Hieke Nelson Principals’ Association
  • Lisa Dillon-Roberts, President, Canterbury Primary Principals’ Association
  • Matt Sides, Hibiscus Coast Principals’ Cluster President, Auckland Primary Principals’ Association
  • Marama Stewart, President, Eastern Bay of Plenty Principals’ Association
  • Lynda Stuart, Aotearoa Educators Collective
  • Maureen Svensson, Chair, Murihiku Area Council, NZEI Te Riu Roa
  • Ramona Taogaga, Chair, Taranaki Area Council, NZEI Te Riu Roa
  • Hinei Taute, Vice President, Rotorua Principals’ Association
  • Annette Thomson, Whakaari Aotearoa Drama New Zealand
  • Craig Thornhill, New Zealand History Teachers’ Association
  • Etuale Togia, New Zealand Pasifika Principals Association
  • Juliette Toma, Member, Mana Primary Principals’ Association
  • Todd Warmington, President, Northern Wairoa Principals’ Association
  • Samantha Wehipeihana, Whakaari Aotearoa Drama New Zealand
  • Dr Patricia Wells, Senior Lecturer, University of Otago
  • Alicia Whata, Inner City Cluster President, Auckland Primary Principals’ Association
  • Jennie Williams, Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Art Educators
  • Tracey Woolley, Chair, NZEI Te Riu Roa Area Council Waitakere Rōpū