The New Zealand Education Minister, Erica Stanford, announced that $30 million will be redirected from a te reo Māori teacher training program to fund new resources aimed at improving math achievement in schools. Currently, only 22% of Year 8 students meet the expected math standards, down from 42% under the previous curriculum. Stanford emphasized the urgent need to prioritize math, citing that 45% of high school students are passing foundational math. The te reo Māori program, which has received $100 million since 2019, will be phased out by the end of the year as it lacked accreditation and evidence of positive impact on student achievement. The government aims to enhance math education while continuing to support students currently enrolled in the te reo Māori program until its closure.
