Extend the Consultation Period on the Draft NZ Curriculum 2026 | Petition Repost
- 9 hours ago
- 2 min read
Bay Science is sharing this petition exactly as published on Change.org. The petition, started by Claire Coleman, calls for an extension of the consultation period on the Draft NZ Curriculum 2026. See it here. |
As an educator, academic, and parent, I am deeply concerned about the insufficient consultation period (October 28th to April 24th) for considering the draft New Zealand Curriculum 2026 for years 1 -10 in the learning areas of Arts, Health and PE, Learning Languages, Social Sciences, Science and Technology.
This consultation period fails to adequately account for the realities of the sector, the workload capacity of teachers and school leaders and the numerous other changes they are currently navigating. The time period does not account for the two month school holiday break, other Ministry of Education consultation requests, the full implementation of a new English and Maths curriculum and recent changes to reporting approaches for schools.
The proposed changes to the NZ curriculum are significant. They involve shifts to the structure and organisation of the learning areas, the content of the learning areas and teaching methods in these learning areas. They have the potential to make a significant impact on the future of education in New Zealand and are the most substantial changes to our national curriculum in over 30 years.
It is essential that these drafts are carefully reviewed and considered by those who will lead and implement those changes. Teacher professional insights and expertise are invaluable in shaping a curriculum that meets the diverse needs of our students, and they deserve the time and space to engage fully in this process.
Teachers and school leaders are under immense pressure to manage the recent barrage of changes to systems, curriculums and teaching methods whilst still juggling their existing workloads. It is unreasonable to expect them to meaningfully engage with over 180 pages of new draft curriculum documents in such a short time period.
Therefore, I urge the Ministry of Education to extend the consultation period by six months to October 24th 2026. This extension would reflect a genuine commitment to good faith processes and honour the significance of this change and the value of the professional insights of the sector. An extended consultation period would facilitate a more collaborative and inclusive process to truly reflect the needs and aspirations of our education system.
Please join me in calling on the Ministry to respect the demands placed on our educators and extend the consultation period for the draft New Zealand Curriculum 2026. Sign this petition and help ensure the future of education in New Zealand is built on a foundation of comprehensive, professional input.