Education · Party position

NZ First on Education

Back to basics: literacy, trades, and curriculum reform

NZ First says it will focus schools back on reading, writing, and maths, and remove gender ideology and critical race theory from the curriculum. It wants to review NCEA, shift free first-year fees to the third year of study, make apprenticeships free for in-demand trades, and wipe student loan debt for workers who stay in New Zealand in critical roles.

What they say they'll do

Enforce compulsory school attendance and address truancy
Refocus school curriculum on reading, writing, and arithmetic; remove gender ideology and critical race theory
Hold a Select Committee inquiry into whether NCEA is delivering for students and employers
Move fees-free tertiary study from year one to year three, for students who pass all coursework
Free apprenticeships for in-demand trades, with fees refunded after each successful exam
Student loan abatement: one year of loans wiped for every two years worked in New Zealand in a critical role

Who this affects

School students and families

Schools would focus more on literacy and numeracy, with attendance enforced and certain curriculum content removed or reviewed.

Tertiary students

The fees-free year would shift to the third year of study, meaning students would need to successfully complete two years before receiving that support.

Apprentices and trade learners

People training in trades that are in demand could have their course fees refunded after passing each trade examination.

Graduates staying in New Zealand

Qualified workers in critical fields who stay and work in New Zealand full-time could have one year of their student loan wiped for every two years worked.

In their own words

“Focus on doing the basics better through emphasising the 'Historic Three R's' Reading, Writing, Arithmetic.”

“Change 'Fees Free' in the first year, to make it 'Fees Free' in the third year, for full-time students successfully passing all coursework to that point”

“Free apprenticeships for in-demand vocations by refunding fees and course costs after successful completion of each trade examination”

Verify at NZ First — 2023 manifesto

Summarised neutrally from NZ First’s own official policy (as at 2026-06-23) and checked by an editor. Nothing is paraphrased without the source linked. Read the original ↗ Politika is non-partisan. Compare all parties on Education →

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NZ First on Education

What they say they'll do

Who this affects

In their own words

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