New Zealand (NZ)’s proposed overhaul of its national school curriculum has come under renewed scrutiny after the Waitangi Tribunal released a report examining how the government developed its new approach to teaching and learning.
The Tribunal published a pre-publication version of its Stage 2, Part I Report of the Education and Training Amendment Act and Te Mātaiaho Urgent Inquiry on Wednesday, 16 September 2026. Its investigation covered reforms to the country’s national curriculum, including both the NZ Curriculum and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa, which is designed for Māori-medium and kaupapa Māori education.
The report focuses particularly on the government’s move towards what it describes as a “knowledge-rich” curriculum, drawing on ideas associated with the science of learning. The Tribunal found that the Crown breached several treaty principles during the development of the reforms, with its findings centring on partnership, active protection, equity and good government.
One of the Tribunal’s principal concerns was the level of engagement with Māori during the curriculum redesign. It concluded that there had not been sufficient meaningful engagement or consensus-building with Māori over the proposed national curriculum. It also found that the Crown had not fulfilled its obligations under the Kawa Whakapūmau with Ngā Kura ā Iwi.
The findings extend beyond the process of consultation. The Tribunal questioned whether the evidence available to officials adequately demonstrated that the knowledge-rich model may reduce educational disparities experienced by Māori learners.
According to the report, the Crown proceeded with the approach despite opposition from parts of the Māori and wider education sectors. The Tribunal also said officials appeared not to have sufficiently considered the findings of the Huia Kaimanawa report when developing the new curriculum framework.
Another major issue identified by the inquiry concerns the place of te reo Māori, tikanga and mātauranga Māori within the redesigned curriculum. The Tribunal said the reforms reduced emphasis on these areas, while the amount of prescribed curriculum content and mandatory teaching requirements may make it more difficult for teachers to incorporate material reflecting te ao Māori.
The report also criticised the treatment of Te Tīrewa Marautanga, saying the framework had been sidelined in favour of knowledge-rich design principles similar to those being applied to the mainstream NZ Curriculum. The Tribunal argued that the distinct aspirations of whānau, hapū and iwi for Māori-medium and kaupapa Māori education needed greater consideration.
The Tribunal said the consequences extended to the relationship between Māori and the Crown. It identified concerns including a diminished sense of recognition for Māori knowledge, reduced Crown support for the transmission of mātauranga Māori, and damage to the relationships between iwi, hapū and schools.
The report recommends that the Crown renew its commitment to working in partnership with Māori on education. It specifically calls for renewed work on an indigenous Māori-medium and kaupapa Māori curriculum through Te Marautanga o Aotearoa. The Tribunal said that genuine partnership may be important if the government is to pursue equitable outcomes for Māori students.
The report arrives while the curriculum itself is being progressively introduced. The Ministry of Education has scheduled the implementation of Years 0 to 10 English, Mathematics and Statistics, Te Reo Rangatira, and Pāngarau for 2026. Science, Social Sciences, Pūmanawa Tangata and Pūtaiao for Years 0 to 8 are scheduled for 2027, while all Years 9 and 10 curriculum areas are also due to begin from 2027.
Further stages of the Tribunal’s inquiry are expected to address other aspects of the Education and Training Act reforms, including the removal of the former requirement relating to school boards and treaty obligations.
The government’s position differs from the tribunal’s assessment. Education Minister Erica Stanford has previously defended the curriculum programme, pointing to consultation with Māori academics and arguing that the reforms seek to improve educational outcomes while sustaining engagement with Māori communities. Te Ao Māori News reported that Stanford said the government remained committed to consultation and considered treaty obligations during the curriculum development process.
The Tribunal’s report, therefore, adds another significant layer to an already complex education reform programme. While the government sustains preparations for phased implementation, the findings place greater attention on how curriculum policy may combine consistent academic expectations with Māori educational priorities and Treaty responsibilities.
The immediate policy challenge will be how ministers, education officials, Māori communities and schools respond to the Tribunal’s recommendations while the new curriculum continues moving towards nationwide implementation.
