A debate over the place of reading, writing and maths in primary schools has emerged on the election campaign trail, with the Parents’ Alliance opposing Labour’s proposal to remove the current requirement for schools to teach an average of one hour a day in each of the three core areas.
Parents’ Alliance chair and spokesperson Cameron Bagrie says parents expect a substantial part of the primary school day to focus on literacy and numeracy and argues removing the prescribed time requirement could make it harder for whānau to know how much attention those subjects are receiving.
The group’s response follows an announcement from Labour leader Chris Hipkins that a Labour government would repeal the requirement covering the daily average of an hour each for reading, writing and maths. The current policy was introduced as part of the Government’s wider focus on improving literacy, numeracy and educational achievement.
The Parents’ Alliance also points to declining educational performance over the past two decades, claiming the change in outcomes is equivalent to a 15-year-old today performing in maths at the level of a 13-year-old two decades ago. It also cites an OECD estimate linking declining education outcomes with a potential 4 percent reduction in productivity. Those figures are claims presented by the organisation in its statement.
The wider debate is not simply about whether literacy and numeracy matter. The Education Review Office identifies reading, writing and mathematics as core skills while also highlighting other factors important to student success, including attendance, engagement, belonging, curriculum quality and support for students with additional needs.
With education becoming another point of difference in Election 2026, voters are being presented with competing approaches over how much flexibility schools and teachers should have in organising classroom time while ensuring tamariki develop strong foundations in literacy and numeracy.
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