19703 (2026). Debbie Ngarewa-Packer to the Minister of Education

19703 (2026). Debbie Ngarewa-Packer to the Minister of Education: Does the Minister consider it consistent with Te Tiriti o Waitangi to redesign the national curriculum, replace NCEA, remove Treaty obligations from schools, and cut te reo Māori teacher training funding, if so, why?

Hon Erica Stanford: Yes. The refreshed national curriculum strengthens te ao Māori content, supports te reo Māori learning across dual pathways, and improves equitable access for kura and students. The Te Ahu o Te Reo Māori programme had low completion rates and lacked evidence of tangible effects on students. The funding was therefore reprioritised to fund maths resources for students including pangarau resources for Māori medium and kura kaupapa. The Government is continuing to invest in building teacher capability in te reo Māori through the new, fully funded professional learning programme Te Ataarangi, reaching up to 50,000 teachers nationwide. The redesigned NCEA aims to deliver clearer, more coherent qualifications and improve equity of outcomes for all learners, including ākonga Māori. Transitional supports are in place to support learners as the new qualifications are introduced. Changes to Treaty references in the Education and Training Act 2020 reflect the fact that school boards are legally separate from the Crown and parents who make up school boards should not be responsible for discharging the Crown’s Treaty obligations. This does not change the responsibility for schools to focus on improving outcomes for Māori learners across the system, as laid out in section 127, which requires school boards seek equitable outcomes for Māori students, take all reasonable steps to provide for students to be taught te reo Māori, and take reasonable steps to ensure that policies and practices for the school reflect New Zealand's cultural diversity.