Education – Open Letter to the Minister of Education: RPA Endorsement of Sector Concerns – Principals Fed

11 November 2025

Hon Erica Stanford

Minister of Education

Parliamentary Buildings

Wellington.

Tēnā koe Minister,

I am writing on behalf of the Rotorua Principals' Association (RPA), representing school leaders across our region, to convey our unified concern regarding the current pace and direction of educational policy reform.

The environment of “change overload” we are currently operating under is unsustainable and poses a genuine risk to the quality of education for all our ākonga and the well-being of tumuaki and kaiako.

The Rotorua Principals' Association formally and fully endorses all recent communications issued by the New Zealand Principals' Federation (NZPF), led by Manukura Leanne Otene, concerning the following three specific areas of reform.

We are deeply concerned about the curriculum implementation process and the lack of genuine consultation.

This is the third time in two years that the English and Mathematics/Statistics curricula have been changed. With such significant and repeated changes, schools need adequate time to explore, understand, and unpack these documents, supported by bespoke and effective professional learning and development (PLD).

We recommend the timeframes for implementation are extended to at least Term 3, 2026.

With regard to the other curriculum areas, moving to a knowledge-rich curriculum is a massive undertaking.

We believe this entire process must be reviewed to enable genuine collaboration with key

stakeholders-namely principals, leadership teams, and teachers who know what works for ākonga.

The current consultation and implementation timelines for these other curriculum areas are unrealistic given the significant changes in content, approach, and design. We strongly suggest the current implementation plan is reviewed and that the consultation period is extended to at least January 2027 to ensure schools can realistically and effectively manage these changes.

Our collective membership shares the concerns articulated by NZPF, and in response, RPA endorses the NZPF actions for principals, which are:

● Do not engage with the Ministry on the October 19th third curriculum change to English and Mathematics/Statistics, including any invitations to attend Regional Te Mahau NZ Curriculum PLD, until our concerns are heard and acted upon.

● Call for urgent action to revisit the Mathematics and Statistics Curriculum and extend the implementation to Term 3, 2026.

● Honour any PLD commitments with Providers for the 2024 draft Mathematics and Statistics, and English curricula for years 0-10.

The recently announced plans to remove Te Tiriti o Waitangi responsibilities from School Boards via amendments to the Education and Training Act are deeply troubling. The RPA stands firm in its commitment to Te Tiriti. Our principals and kaiako have consistently undertaken significant mahi to give effect to it within their unique school contexts, and we see this as integral to our professional responsibility.

The RPA views the proposed changes to the Teaching Council's governance structure and functions as a significant threat to the independence and professional standing of the teaching profession.

We strongly oppose any move that diminishes the role of elected members or shifts professional standard-setting away from an independent, sector-led body and into the direct control of the Ministry of Education. As highlighted in the open letter from NZPF and other peak bodies, this risks eroding the necessary separation between the policy setter and the professional regulator, which will severely damage the trust between the sector and the government.

Minister, the principals of the Rotorua region are not resistant to change. We are, however, raising a critical professional concern about the current nature, pace, and perceived lack of genuine consultation and research-informed pedagogy underpinning these reforms.

We urge you to take immediate action by:

1. Pausing and reconsidering the mandated implementation timeline for the new curriculum to allow for genuine, collaborative refinement with the sector.

2. Committing to meaningful, solutions-focused dialogue with the New Zealand Principals' Federation and the broader sector to find an achievable and sustainable pathway forward.

The principals we represent are ready to assist in constructive consultation to ensure education policy is robust, sustainable, and, at its heart, improves outcomes for all ākonga.

Ngā mihi nui,

Hinei Taute

Senior Vice President

Rotorua Principals' Association

Te Kahui Tumuaki o Rotorua.