The Government will amend the law to ensure schools are teaching maths, reading and writing the same way from 2026.

Education Minister Jan Tinetti said the Government intended to add core teaching requirements to the national curriculum under the Education and Training Act 2020.

The requirements, also knowns as the Common Practice Model, were currently being developed by an expert group and it was expected they would be released for consultation at some point during Term 4 of this year, meaning changes to the legislation would occur in the next term of government.

Schools could then implement the requirements from next year before they became compulsory in 2026. It would apply to primary, intermediate and secondary schools. Private schools would not have to follow the new requirements and discussions would be held with Kura kaupapa Māori to decide how the changes could best suit their curriculum.

Tinetti said “guidance, professional development, and materials” would be provided to teachers to ensure a consistent implementation across schools.

“We have great teachers, but historically the curriculum hasn’t always been clear about how core subjects should be taught, and it’s meant there are wide variations of teaching,” she said.

“The compulsory core teaching requirements will outline what teachers have to cover off at every year level across a child’s time at school.

“This, along with the new maths and literacy co-requisite at secondary schools, means employers anywhere in New Zealand can expect young people to have core maths, reading and writing skills when they leave school, and it will also help those wanting to go on to further education or training to achieve university entrance or other requirements.”

Education Minister Jan Tinetti says guidance will be given to teachers on how to implement the new requirements. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The Herald has asked the Ministry of Education how much the changes would cost and when more detail would be released for consultation.

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Tinetti said work started on the new requirements in March last year with an expert group established in subsequent months.

School boards would be responsible for ensuring teachers used the new model.

It comes after the Labour Party announced it would make financial literacy teaching compulsory in schools from 2025 if re-elected.

Tinetti, in her role as party education spokesperson, appeared alongside Labour leader Chris Hipkins on Sunday to unveil the election policy, prompted by low levels of money and budgeting skills among school leavers.

The party cited past studies that found just 18 per cent of teachers taught the skills in schools, and a Retirement Commission study which found 80 per cent of young people surveyed wished they had learned more about money at school.

Financial literacy would start in primary school and be taught mainly through maths and social sciences in secondary school.

It would be based on the existing “financial capability progressions”, with a focus on saving and investing, budgeting, setting financial goals, consumer rights and taxes and income.