Origins and focus

EWP 2021 affirmed the Government’s objectives. Transforming the New Zealand education system into one that delivers excellent and fair outcomes for all our children and learners. EWP 2021 is based on the 5 education objectives set by Government in 2018. It builds on the priorities set for the Education Work Programme 2018, and on the progress made towards those priorities between 2018 and 2020.

The Education Work Programme 2021 has a strong focus on implementation and delivery, and on addressing systemic issues within the education system, such as falling levels of achievement in maths and science, poor and declining rates of attendance, and the high levels of bullying within the schooling system.

EWP 2021 Programme components

The main priority components of the EWP 2021, for this term of the Government, are:

Objective 1: Learners at the centre

• The Action Plan for Pacific Education 2020-2030.
• The Early Learning Action Plan 2019-2029, with a focus on pay parity.
• Ka Hikitia – Ka Hāpaitia and Tau Mai Te Reo.

Promoting safe and accepting school environments for Rainbow students to learn and thrive, including working with schools on providing gender neutral bathrooms for school students.

An action plan to improve student attendance and engagement.

Objective 2: Barrier-free access

Initiatives to tackle barriers to educational success:

• Expand Ka Ora, Ka Ako | Healthy School Lunch programme.
• Implement an Equity Index for schools and early learning services.
• Improve digital access to help address the digital divide in schools.
• Free period products in schools and kura.

The Learning Support Action Plan 2019-2025.

Objective 3: Quality teaching and leadership

Reform of the Tomorrow’s Schools system:

• A new Education Service Agency o A national Curriculum Centre.
• An independent mechanism for raising and resolving complaints, including supporting the use of restorative practice.
• A more visible support system for school leadership.
• Strengthening school governance.
• Strengthening the Māori medium education pathway.
  • Ensuring school enrolment schemes are fair.

Reforms of Curriculum, Progress and Achievement, and NCEA:

• Refresh the national curriculum.
• Ensure that Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories are taught in all New Zealand schools and kura from 2022.
• Implement the NCEA Change Programme.

Develop a literacy strategy and a mathematics (including numeracy) strategy.

Continued work to attract and develop a strong, culturally competent education workforce that is capable, supported, valued and connected, including through changes to improve Initial Teacher Education.

Objective 4: Future of learning and work

The Reform of Vocational Education:

• Establish Workforce Development Councils and oversee the integration of Te Pukenga.
• Creating a framework and a plan for a unified funding system.

The International Education Strategy and the International Education Recovery Plan.

Strengthen youth transitions system.

Modernise careers advice in schools.

Reviewing the tertiary education funding system, including for degrees, to introduce a stronger focus on work-integrated learning across a broader range of disciplines.

Expanding the Creatives in Schools programme.

Objective 5: World class inclusive public education

A strategic programme of investment in school property.

The Review of the Performance-Based Research Fund.

Education Work Programme 2018

In 2018, the current Government outlined a 3-year work Education Work Programme (EWP 2018) for its first term.

Purpose and objectives

You can find about more about the main components of EWP 2018, and the progress made on each of them between 2018 and 2020.