The Government has delivered its 2026 Budget, and some of the biggest announcements are for New Zealand students.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis presented the Budget in Parliament on Thursday, calling it a “responsible” plan to put New Zealand’s finances back on track. The budget is where the government plans how to spend their money in the next year. The country is expected to return to surplus by 2028/29 — a year earlier than expected.
For students, there is a lot to take in. NCEA — the qualification most secondary students work towards — is going to be scrapped and replaced with a new system. Education Minister Erica Stanford said a brand-new national curriculum will also be rolled out for schools.
The Government is putting $131 million into its Teaching the Basics Brilliantly programme, which focuses on improving literacy and maths in primary and intermediate schools. Schools will also receive a 2% increase in funding for day-to-day running costs, plus half a billion dollars for school buildings.
The free school lunches programme is funded to continue through 2027. Associate Education Minister David Seymour said the average cost per meal has dropped from around $8.68 to $3.58 since his changes were made, and complaints have fallen by over 90%.
On the other hand, the fees-free scheme — which gave students their first year of tertiary study for free — is being scrapped. Some of the savings will go towards more trades training spots instead.
