Erica's News

MP for East Coast Bays

9 Sep 2026Erica Stanford

Disadvantaged students drive significant closing of education equity gap

Disadvantaged students drive significant closing of education equity gap New Zealand’s latest OECD PISA results show a significant narrowing of the socio-economic achievement gap, driven by

9 Sep 2026Erica Stanford

Results stabilise but more work to do

Results stabilise but more work to do Results from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2025 indicate achievement is stabilising after years of decline but

8 Sep 2026Erica Stanford · Chris Bishop

AIP Visa Growth Category expands to support Build to Rent

AIP Visa Growth Category expands to support Build to Rent Investor migrants in the Active Investor Plus Growth category will soon be able to invest in

8 Sep 2026Erica Stanford

Government funds more classrooms for growing schools

Government funds more classrooms for growing schools Staff and students at ten schools with significant roll growth pressure will benefit from 34 additional classrooms and a

4 Sep 2026Erica Stanford

International education exports surge past pre-Covid levels

International education exports surge past pre-Covid levels New Zealand’s international education export earnings have surged to nearly $5 billion, surpassing 2019 pre-Covid levels and delivering a

24 Aug 2026Christopher Luxon · Erica Stanford

Government moves to ban U16s from social media

The Government will today introduce the Online Safety Bill which will ban under-16s from social media and put greater responsibilities on technology companies to protect children

21 Aug 2026Erica Stanford

Closer to home: 20 new specialist classrooms

This Government is delivering a further 20 new specialist classrooms across nine schools, giving students the support they need, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. This $23

19 Aug 2026Erica Stanford

Walls go up – classrooms calm down

The Government is investing a further $31.3 million to create calmer, less disruptive learning spaces in more than 600 classrooms at nearly 90 schools, Education Minister

13 Aug 2026Erica Stanford

Government delivers more support for children with complex educational needs

More young children with high and complex developmental needs will receive earlier, tailored support to help them learn, grow, and thrive, Education Minister Erica Stanford announced

12 Aug 2026Erica Stanford

Updated science and social sciences curriculum prepares students for a changing world

Education Minister Erica Stanford today released the fully updated Science and Social Sciences learning areas for Years 0 to 10, setting out a clearer, more engaging

10 Aug 2026Simeon Brown · Erica Stanford

500 schools nationwide selected for solar panels

Five hundred schools have been selected for solar technology under the Government’s plan to improve schools’ energy affordability and resilience, Energy Minister Simeon Brown and Education

8 Aug 2026Erica Stanford

Fairer Parent Resident Visa process delivered

New Zealand citizens or residents waiting to bring their parents to New Zealand will have a fairer and more predictable selection process under changes to the

6 Aug 2026Nicola Willis · Erica Stanford

New subjects bring industry and the classroom closer together

An exciting range of future-focused, industry-led secondary school subjects was launched by Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis and Education Minister Erica Stanford today, giving young New

5 Aug 2026Erica Stanford

New specialist school to fill long-standing gap in Gisborne

A new specialist school for students with complex needs in Gisborne will open in the next two years, the first of its kind in the region,

3 Aug 2026Erica Stanford

School Onsite Training Programme to provide 704 places every year from 2028

The Government is backing more Kiwi’s to train to be teachers by significantly expanding practical, classroom-based training and providing more support to attract teachers to schools

31 Jul 2026Erica Stanford

800 small and remote schools benefit from upgrades

A nationwide programme upgrading New Zealand’s small and remote schools has completed its 800th school upgrade, says Education Minister Erica Stanford. “The work of the Small

28 Jul 2026Erica Stanford

Simpler, clearer, more effective RSE scheme

The Government is modernising the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme, making it simpler and clearer to use while maintaining protections for workers and opportunities for New

22 Jul 2026Erica Stanford

Calmer, quieter classrooms - as walls go up

Nearly 200 schools have begun the process of replacing open-plan classrooms with enclosed learning spaces to create quieter, calmer spaces more suited for learning, Education Minister