Children need to be taught the basics of reading, writing, and maths brilliantly to set them up for success. Recently we shared some concerning news on maths results in this country.
New data shows that last year, just 22% of Year 8 students were at the expected curriculum level for maths. Worse still, three in five are more than a year behind.
That means that last year, around 50,000 children in Year 8 did not meet the expected curriculum benchmark for maths.
These figures are disappointing. This represents a total system failure, and our children deserve better. Our children weren’t being taught the basics, leading to falling educational achievement and a significant decline relative to previous generations and children in other countries.
That’s why we’re taking swift action to transform maths education with the launch of the Make It Count maths action plan that will take effect from Term 1 next year. There are four components — curriculum, workforce, assessment, and accountability.
We’re accelerating the shift to a new structured maths curriculum for Year 0-8 students, rolling it out a year earlier than planned. So, from Term 1 next year, your child will be learning maths based on a new world-leading, knowledge-rich curriculum — similar to countries like Singapore and Australia.
Every school will be getting top-quality resources to support teachers with this change, giving parents the confidence that their child will succeed.
We also need to ensure our teachers have the confidence to teach children’s maths. That's why we’re making $20 million available for professional development in structured maths. We’re lifting the standard for new teachers too, requiring new teachers to have at least NCEA Level 2 maths.
We’re making sure that children that need help get the support they need. There will be small group interventions for students who have fallen significantly behind, informed by twice-yearly standardised assessments for maths from 2025.
Finally, we’re ensuring our education system is accountable. The Ministry of Education will intervene earlier and more often in schools where extra support is needed. The Education Review Office will overhaul its reporting to focus on student progress, achievement, and assessment. Trainee teachers will also be better prepared with a stronger maths component in their initial teacher education. We’ve already required an hour a day each for maths, reading, and writing in schools, banned cellphones from classrooms, and are rolling out structured literacy to improve achievement, but it’s clear we have a serious turnaround job on our hands.
We have a plan, and we are acting — fast.
Whether you’re a teacher, a parent, a principal — or you’re a student still working out what your future will hold: we have your back.