56676 (2025). Teanau Tuiono to the Minister of Education

56676 (2025). Teanau Tuiono to the Minister of Education: Does the Minister share the concerns of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) 'that the Education and Training Amendment Act (No. 2) (2025) repealed key legislative provisions relating to the implementation of the Treaty of Waitangi in the education sector, which had supported efforts to advance equitable educational outcomes for Māori' and if so why and if not why not?

Hon Erica Stanford: I do not agree with the Committee’s characterisation. Section 4 sets out that one of the purposes of the Act is to establish and regulate an education system that honours Te Tiriti o Waitangi and supports Māori-Crown relationships. I note that under the previous Government educational outcomes for Māori had gone backward since s127 was introduced in 2020. It is this Government’s significant investment in transformative reforms like teaching the basics brilliantly, structured literacy, maths mastery, and professional training and development for teachers and school leaders that has seen Māori achievement in early primary improve over the last two years.