Budget 2025: investing in student achievement

23 May 2025

As part of Budget 2025, the Government is investing approximately $287 million of operational funding into curriculum and assessment initiatives and an additional $36.1 million of operational funding into curriculum initiatives within the Māori Education Package.

Visit our website for a summary of each initiative: https://www.education.govt.nz/budget-2025.

The Budget 25 investment builds on the work we’ve already undertaken to raise achievement for all learners and will further support both teachers and students across the curriculum, from early learning through to secondary school. 

New initiatives are designed to help teachers identify learners who need additional support early on and to provide targeted interventions that help those learners meet curriculum expectations. In addition, we continue to invest in our frontline curriculum advisory service, ensuring more teachers are equipped and supported to successfully implement the updated national curriculum. 

Every initiative is a step forward in our mission to raise achievement for all learners.  We remain focused on our goal to get 80% of Year 8 students at, or above, the expected curriculum level for their age in reading, writing and maths by December 2030.

What’s next?

These initiatives continue to support lifting progress and achievement through ‘Teaching the Basics Brilliantly’, and help you implement the updated national curriculum. 

We will be working with you to progress these initiatives, and we will share more information, supports and resources during 2025. 

Keep an eye out for updates to the 5-year Implementation timeline in week 6 of each term, available here: https://tahurangi.education.govt.nz/implementation-supports