Over 1,000 schools across New Zealand have reaffirmed their commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi as Parliament passed the Education and Training Amendment Act 2025, which removed schools’ explicit obligation to “give effect” to the Treaty. They call for the changes to be reversed.
In practice, giving effect to Te Tiriti goes beyond teaching New Zealand history and celebrating Māori culture. Instead, it is a constitutional framework embedded in how schools lead, make decisions and design policy. School boards and principals who commit to the Treaty aim to ensure that Māori students see themselves reflected in their learning environment, including the integration of tikanga Māori, mātauranga Māori, and te reo Māori.
The debate has also drawn attention to zoning, which legally requires most families to attend their local state school. Some critics argue that if schools adopt very different approaches to Te Tiriti, zoning can limit genuine choice for families who may prefer a different governance model but cannot afford to move, go private, or choose an integrated alternative.
Education Minister Erica Stanford says the change is meant to simplify and clarify what is expected of school boards, and that it’s unfair to expect volunteer boards of parents and community members to carry out the Crown’s constitutional obligations under Te Tiriti. The Government says that expectations around equity, te reo Māori and cultural competence remain.
Stanford emphasises that boards should focus on “practical things that make a difference for students,” such as improving attendance, supporting learning progress and fostering achievement. In this way, the Minister frames the legislative changes as a way to clarify responsibilities.
Given past concerns over Treaty-based provisions in schools, some worry that the change increases the risk of Māori language, culture and bicultural governance being sidelined, especially in schools with less engaged boards or limited resources.
Educators vow to give Te Tiriti effect
Many education leaders and school boards say removing the Treaty clause would weaken accountability. Without a legal requirement, schools’ commitment relies on goodwill rather than obligation, which could undermine the structures that support Te Tiriti values in governance and teaching.
Chair of the Secondary Principals’ Council (SPC), Kate Gainsford, says the council believes removing the Te Tiriti requirement is a breach of the Crown’s obligations and that schools should be places where Māori students and families feel a sense of belonging.
“We know that our Māori students (25% of the 2023 population) need to see themselves reflected in the education they are receiving and the aims and expectations of their country’s education system. Honouring Te Tiriti ensures every child feels valued, respected and represented in their learning.”
In an open letter to the Education Minister, the SPC says that voluntary commitments alone cannot guarantee equity and that legislation matters as it sets expectations and ensures every board honours Te Tiriti with equal responsibility.
“SPC principals will continue to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi in governance, curriculum, leadership, and community partnership as an unchanged moral and professional obligation.”
“Racist attack on education”: NZEI president
NZEI Te Riu Roa president Ripeka Lessels says the removal of Te Tiriti obligations from school boards is “the latest in a series of racist, dogmatic attacks on our education system” and is “part of the Government’s project to erase all responsibility to Te Tiriti and tamariki Māori”.
She points to past policy shifts, including cuts to Te Ahu o te Reo funding, the removal of te reo from early readers, and reductions in the number of Māori resource teachers, as part of a broader pattern that diminishes Māori language, culture, and representation in schools.
Lessels says the government has acted without public consultation and against the advice of educators, boards, and whānau.
Strategies that give effect to Te Tiriti, she says, are central to engaging ākonga Māori and improving attendance and achievement. She adds that decades of research show that Māori students are most engaged in learning and achieve higher rates when they see themselves reflected in their learning environment.
Her concerns are echoed by NZPF president Leanne Otene, who says the Minister is taking “an extreme, far-right position” that sits at odds with both public expectations and international trends.
New Zealand on an international stage
Otene notes that countries such as Australia, Canada, Ireland, Wales, and Greenland look to Aotearoa New Zealand as a leader in revitalising Indigenous languages and cultures. “This move puts us out of step as global leaders,” she says.
She says modern learning should include soft skills in its curriculum rather than focusing on surface-level, rote learning. She adds that the Government’s pursuit of a heavily structured ‘knowledge-rich’ curriculum rather than deep understanding and critical thinking will leave our young people ill-prepared for a future in which they will be required to creatively problem-solve and co-exist with AI.
“Research tells us that seven East Asian countries are now looking at incorporating soft skills such as critical thinking, creativity, problem solving, collaborative learning and peer assessment into their curriculum frameworks, acknowledging the need for students to develop a range of competencies beyond academic knowledge.
“Our approach to enacting Te Tiriti o Waitangi has helped create school cultures in which our tamariki see themselves reflected every day, and in which their language and culture are valued and respected.”
Minister reacts to schools’ commitment
After over 1,000 schools reaffirmed their stance, Stanford acknowledged that boards are welcome to maintain their commitments voluntarily. She reiterated that the legal obligation no longer rests with boards but with the Crown, framing the decision as a clarification rather than a rollback.
Stanford also suggested that some school boards may be under external pressure to issue public declarations, although she stopped short of criticising any individual school or principal.
Kate Gainsford said she was extremely disappointed by Stanford and other MPs’ reaction to the over 1,000 school boards calling for the decision to be reversed.
“Suggesting that boards are being put under undue pressure to take this action is an insult to board members and their intelligence and independence.
“We urge the Government to put its defensiveness aside and listen to the concerns of the thousands of New Zealanders who give so much of their time and effort into governing our schools.”
