National understands education is the greatest investment we can make in our future. We will prioritise lifting academic achievement for all children, no matter their background or ability. We will provide better support for children with additional learning needs, so that every child is able to get the start in life they deserve.

National will make sure every child has the chance to learn in a fit-for-purpose education environment. Many schools require work to repair and improve classrooms and other school infrastructure. We will invest an additional $4.8 billion in school infrastructure.

National will:

1. Progressively improve the adult-to-child ratio for under two year olds in early childhood education.
   
   
2. Invest an additional $4.8 billion in school infrastructure, including $2 billion over five years for the Fix New Zealand’s Schools Alliance, and another $2.8 billion over a decade for new classrooms and schools to accommodate growth and reduce the need to impose restrictive zoning requirements.
   
   
3. Establish a $160 million per year fund to support children with additional learning, behavioural and physical needs – allocated based on school roll and need – so schools can invest in the initiatives they believe are appropriate for their student community.
   
   
4. Invest $150 million over four years to fund an additional six million hours of teacher aide support in classrooms, equivalent to around 1500 new teacher aides (at 25 hours per week), or an average of 600 hours per school each year.
   
   
5. Invest $340 million over four years to deliver smaller class sizes by progressively reducing student-to-teacher ratios in primary schools. This will reduce teacher workloads and make sure children get more focused teacher attention in their foundation years.
   
   
6. Establish at least 25 new partnership schools by 2023, including some focussed on high-priority learners such as Māori and Pasifika; children with additional learning needs; and in specialist education areas such as Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM).

A quality education can make all the difference in the future of a child. National knows how important it is for children to leave school with firm foundations in core areas, but also for parents to feel empowered to make the choices that will best suit their child’s needs.

Read National’s entire education policy here.