Education Reform Bill Clears Final Parliamentary Hurdle

Education Minister Erica Stanford said the legislation is designed to improve accountability, clarify responsibilities across the sector and strengthen support for schools, teachers and learners.

New Zealand's education system is set for significant changes after Parliament passed the Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Bill at its third reading. Education Minister Erica Stanford said the legislation is designed to improve accountability, clarify responsibilities across the sector and strengthen support for schools, teachers and learners.

The reforms affect several key education agencies and introduce changes aimed at improving how the system is managed, regulated and monitored. Officials say the goal is to create a more effective structure that allows education organisations to focus on their core responsibilities while delivering better outcomes for students. The bill will now move forward for Royal Assent before implementation begins across the education sector.

New agencies and responsibilities take shape

One of the biggest changes included in the legislation is the creation of the New Zealand School Property Agency, which will become a Crown entity responsible for managing the country's extensive education property portfolio. By November 2026, the agency will oversee the planning, construction, maintenance and administration of school properties nationwide.

The legislation also transfers regulatory responsibilities for early childhood education services, school hostels and private schools from the Ministry of Education to the Education Review Office. The Government believes placing these functions under ERO will improve oversight and strengthen accountability across the sector.

Changes are also being made to the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand. Responsibility for setting professional teaching standards will move to the Secretary for Education, covering areas such as teacher registration requirements, initial teacher education, ongoing professional practice and the Code of Conduct.

Under the new framework, student safety will become a central focus of the Teaching Council's statutory role, particularly through its responsibilities for teacher registration, competence assessments and conduct oversight.

Curriculum, attendance and student safety reforms included

The legislation introduces a regular cycle of curriculum reviews to ensure learning content remains up to date and relevant. New safeguards have also been established around how curriculum changes are reviewed and implemented. Parents will receive more information about health education programmes taught in schools, giving families greater visibility into what students are learning.

Other reforms contained in the bill include improvements to attendance exemption processes and a requirement for schools to participate in international education studies. The Government says these studies will help provide stronger evidence to support future education policy decisions. Rules surrounding the use of physical restraint in school hostels have also been strengthened, while new provisions will allow greater recognition of micro-credentials as part of the education system.

Additional measures provide increased flexibility for charter schools and support ongoing work to redesign New Zealand's vocational education and training system.

Stanford said the reforms are intended to reduce overlap between agencies, improve coordination across the sector and ensure education providers receive clearer guidance and support. The Government expects the changes to create a more responsive system that benefits students, families, schools and early learning services across the country.