Teachers, principals and schools across New Zealand are being celebrated in the first inaugural Education Excellence Awards, Education Minister Erica Stanford hosted today.
The inaugural New Zealand Education Excellence Awards — Ngā Tohu Kairangi Mātauranga o Aotearoa, were held at Parliament in Wellington to recognise the outstanding work of schools and kura across the country.
“The Education Excellence Awards are about celebrating teachers, schools and kura that are driving change and achieving results,” Ms Stanford said.
“Recognising that quality teaching and school leadership are the two of the most important factors impacting student learning. We need to celebrate the skills and dedication of those who bring that to life every day in the classroom.”
The national awards programme, launched this year, highlights outstanding progress and performance across four areas critical to student success:
- Student engagement and attendance
- Raising student achievement
- Quality teaching and instruction
- Educational leadership.
“Raising student achievement is fundamental. Every student needs a strong foundation in literacy and numeracy to successfully progress through their education.”
“Attendance is equally critical; students need to be in the classroom to learn. Schools recognised today are using effective and innovative ways to get young people back into the classroom, engaged and excited about learning.”
The awards also highlight the pivotal role teachers and leaders have in driving education success.
“High-quality teaching has the biggest impact on student outcomes, and strong leadership ensures that great practice is consistent across a school.
“The award commendations, finalists and winners show what is possible when schools focus on evidence-based teaching, set high expectations, and provide the right environment for their community of learners,” Ms Stanford said.
Ms Stanford says the awards are about more than prize money — they are about recognising the lasting impact of our teaching profession and lifting performance across the system.
“The leadership, professionalism, and commitment of our teachers and school leaders showcased today is making a real and lasting difference for communities.
“While congratulating the schools recognised was a focus of today’s award ceremony, the real opportunity here is to learn from these examples,” Ms Stanford concludes.
Finalists and winners were selected following a comprehensive selection process, including nominations from students, families, staff, and communities, and application assessment by panels of education experts.