New survey results show overwhelming concern among educators about the direction of New Zealand’s education system, with teachers and school staff calling for major investment in learning support, mental health services and culturally responsive education in this year’s Budget.
The survey found nearly 90 percent of educators believe the education system is moving in the wrong direction, while only a small number believe current reforms are on the right track.
Respondents identified inclusive education and learning support as the highest priority areas needing urgent funding, followed closely by curriculum support, student mental health and wellbeing services, and teacher attraction and retention initiatives.
A strong theme emerging from the survey was the need for greater investment in Māori-led and culturally grounded education approaches.
Many educators supported funding for iwi representatives working alongside schools, arguing Māori community engagement should be properly resourced rather than relying on unpaid voluntary contributions.
There were also widespread calls for more investment in localised curriculum development, Te Reo Māori professional learning for teachers and culturally responsive teaching models designed specifically for Aotearoa communities.
Teacher retention emerged as another major issue, with many respondents saying stable funding for classroom support staff was critical to keeping teachers in the profession.
Educators reported increasing pressure managing diverse learning and behavioural needs without enough in-class support, contributing to burnout and staff shortages across the sector.
Concerns were also raised about constant policy and curriculum changes, with many respondents describing ongoing political reform cycles as destabilising and exhausting for schools and teachers.
Teachers say repeated shifts in priorities and administrative requirements are making it harder to maintain long-term commitment to the profession.
Many respondents also called for greater operational autonomy, arguing schools need more flexibility over how funding is used to meet the specific needs of their students and communities.
The findings come as pressure mounts on the Government ahead of Budget 2026, with education groups warning that without significant investment, inequities across the sector are likely to deepen.
Advocates say Māori learners, disabled students and communities already facing social and economic disadvantage are among those most affected by gaps in support services and staffing shortages.
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