National education coalition unites against changes to Education and Training Act
The National Iwi Chairs Forum (NICF), supported by a coalition of national education organisations, has launched a petition against the Government’s removal of the requirement for school boards to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi by repealing section 127(2)(e) of the Education and Training Act 2020.
"After more than a year of formal engagement and consultation with the Government on their proposed changes to the Education and Training Act, we were deeply disappointed and concerned by the last-minute amendments to remove the school board objective requiring schools to give effect to Te Tiriti." says Rahui Papa, Chair of the NICF’s Pou Tangata.
"These amendments were never put out for consultation. Instead, they were introduced by the Minister after public consultation closed, published less than 24 hours before they progressed through Parliament, and it looks like those changes will be passed into law today - only a week after they were made public.
"We’re launching this petition to send a clear message to the Government: removing Te Tiriti from education law undermines your responsibility to ensure every learner, Māori and non-Māori, thrives in an education system that honours the Māori-Crown relationship."
The Protect Te Tiriti o Waitangi in Education petition is led by the National Iwi Chairs Forum, and supported by the New Zealand Educational Institute Te Riu Roa, New Zealand Principals’ Federation, New Zealand Post Primary Teachers’ Association Te Wehengarua, Te Akatea New Zealand Māori Principals Association, Secondary Principals Association of New Zealand, Te Whakarōputanga Kaitiaki Kura o Aotearoa - New Zealand Schools Boards Association, Ngā Kura ā Iwi o Aotearoa, and Te Rūnanga Nui o ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Aotearoa.
"Collectively, our coalition represents 88 iwi and over 95,000 teachers, principals, schools, and kura who are standing against the Government’s tinkering with Te Tiriti." says Rahui.
"We agree with the Minister of Education when she says that school boards play an important role in raising achievement. Boards set the overall direction of a school or kura, through their governance responsibilities and development of strategic plans.
"Removing Te Tiriti from the one place every child in Aotearoa passes through - our education system - deprives our tamariki of the opportunity to learn about identity, belonging, and partnership in a culturally responsive environment, and we will not sit idly by while this happens."
The petition (link below) is available to sign until Tuesday 25 November. It will then be presented to Parliament.
Last modified on Tuesday, 11 November 2025 12:08