12955 (2024). Hon Jan Tinetti to the Minister of Education

12955 (2024). Hon Jan Tinetti to the Minister of Education: If “Schools make their own choices about who they bring in to deliver services”, why shouldn’t they also make their own choices about structured literacy teaching?

Hon Erica Stanford: As the member is aware, the New Zealand education system is a combination of centralised and devolved decision making. This takes into account a range of factors including the need for some national consistency as well as local flexibility. The evidence on the science of learning is clear that for the overwhelming majority of children structured literacy is the best way for children to learn how to read. As such, it needs to be available to every child in every primary school to give them the best possible start in their education. Budget 2024 provides $67m in new funding for the implementation of structured literacy. Schools will be able to choose which PLD and PLD providers for structured literacy best suits their needs, subject to provider availability.