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National on Education

Back to basics: reading, writing and maths for every child

National says it is making sure every school child spends at least an hour a day on reading, writing and maths. It has banned phones in schools, introduced specific teaching methods for literacy and numbers, and is working on a new national qualification to replace NCEA. It has also released a new curriculum for Years 1 to 10 and increased support for students who need extra help with their learning.

What they say they'll do

  • Require one hour of reading, writing and maths every school day
  • Ban cell phones in schools to reduce distractions
  • Use structured literacy and numeracy teaching methods in all schools
  • Replace NCEA with a new national qualification
  • Introduce a new curriculum for Years 1 to 10
  • Increase learning support for students who need extra help

Who this affects

Primary and intermediate school students
They are required to receive at least one hour of reading, writing and maths teaching each day under a structured teaching approach.
Secondary school students
They may move to a new national qualification intended to replace NCEA if the proposal goes ahead.
Students needing extra learning support
Additional funding has been directed toward learning support services for students who require extra help.
School students generally
Cell phone use has been banned during school so students are not distracted during class time.

In their own words

“Mandated an hour of reading, writing and maths every day.”
“Banned cell-phone use in schools so kids can concentrate better.”
“Announced a proposal to replace NCEA with a new national qualification built for tomorrow's workforce and higher learning.”
Verify at National — official policy page

Summarised neutrally from National’s own official policy (as at 2026-06-23) and checked by an editor — never paraphrased without the source linked, and never an endorsement. Read the original ↗ Arapono is non-partisan. Compare all parties on Education →

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