Improving core learning outcomes has become one of the Government’s biggest education priorities, with growing concern around student achievement levels and classroom consistency across the country.
In response, a new multi-year funding package has been introduced to support schools as they adapt to curriculum changes and place greater emphasis on foundational skills from the earliest years of learning. But how will it be spent?
The $131.1 million package is spread across twelve initiatives aimed at lifting reading, writing, maths, and broader foundational learning in primary and intermediate schools.
The biggest shares go to teacher professional development, writing support, maths support, and structured literacy, with a separate focus on new assessment tools and classroom resources.
The largest allocation is $43.5 million for professional learning and development. That funding is designed to help school leaders and teachers use student data better and adopt high-impact explicit teaching practices.
Writing receives $38.7 million. This will fund curriculum-aligned workbooks for Years 4 to 5 and a digital writing tool for Years 6 to 8, to improve fluency and reduce the need for schools to buy their own resources.
Maths – pāngarau – gets $29.7 million. The package includes maths hubs, hands-on equipment for every Year 0 to 8 classroom, a new times table and division check, 36 additional intervention teachers, and an expanded acceleration programme for Years 9 to 10.
Structured literacy is allocated $19.4 million. That money will pay for decodable books for older readers, an end-of-Year 2 literacy check, an accelerated literacy programme, and a new teaching programme for Years 0 to 10.
Education Minister Erica Stanford has described the package as part of “generational” reforms to New Zealand’s education system, aimed at reversing declining achievement levels in core subjects.
She pointed to recent curriculum data showing only 22% of Year 8 students were meeting the expected maths standard, while just 45% of secondary students achieved the foundational maths benchmark.
The announcement also highlighted that some funding for the maths initiatives was redirected from Te Ahu o Te Reo Māori, a programme supporting teachers learning te reo Māori, a move that has
attracted political debate. Schools will be able to choose from approved maths providers and resources, with materials also being made available in te reo Māori as part of the wider rollout.
The package is meant to make the reforms easier to deliver in real classrooms, not just on paper. The Ministry of Education says the funding will be spent over four years and is intended to back new curriculum expectations with training, tools, and targeted support.
A key theme is reducing the burden on schools by providing resources centrally. The government says some of the items, such as digital writing tools and maths equipment, will be provided free of charge rather than left to individual schools to source themselves.
The investment also fits into the wider push for foundational learning that has already included action plans for maths and writing, now being folded into a broader Foundational Learning Action Plan that also covers reading.
BusinessNZ Director of Education, Skills and Immigration, Rachel Simpson, welcomed the investment. She says the new settings and resourcing will better equip young people with a wide range of opportunities.
“This investment recognises that teacher professional development is central to lifting student achievement and ensuring reforms translate into better outcomes for young New Zealanders. Strong foundational education is critical for the future workforce New Zealand businesses depend on.
“Businesses need a schooling system that equips young people with the core skills, resilience, and confidence to succeed. Investment in education is ultimately an investment in New Zealand’s productivity, competitiveness, and long-term prosperity.”
The investment reflects a broader shift to strengthen the basics in New Zealand education, while also acknowledging the increasing demands placed on schools and teachers.
As the reforms roll out over the coming years, attention will remain on whether the additional support can deliver lasting improvements in students’ confidence, capability, and achievement nationwide.
