NZ First says schools should focus more on reading, writing, and maths, and remove gender ideology and critical race theory from what is taught. They want to check whether NCEA is working. For people studying or training after school, they would move free first-year fees to the final year, make apprenticeships free after passing each exam, and wipe student loan debt for people who stay and work in New Zealand in shortage jobs.
“Focus on doing the basics better through emphasising the 'Historic Three R's' Reading, Writing, Arithmetic.”
“Change 'Fees Free' in the first year, to make it 'Fees Free' in the third year, for full-time students successfully passing all coursework to that point”
“Student Loan Abatement Scheme for in-demand critical workers so that one-year of student loans is wiped, for every two years of full time work in New Zealand post-qualification or registration”
Summarised neutrally from NZ First’s own official policy (as at 2026-06-23) and checked by an editor. Nothing is paraphrased without the source linked. Read the original ↗ Arapono is non-partisan. Compare all parties on Education →
Which party holds a published position on which topic.
Swipe across to see all 11 topics — the party column stays put.
| Party | Economy | Housing | Health | Education | Climate | Environment | Crime & Justice | Treaty & Māori Affairs | Immigration | Foreign Policy | Democracy & Government |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National |
| ∅ |
| Labour | ∅ | ∅ | ∅ | ∅ | ∅ | ∅ |
| Green |
| ACT |
| NZ First |
| Te Pāti Māori |
| TOP |
| Also contesting, without seats in Parliament | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women’s Rights | |||||||||||
| Animal Justice | |||||||||||
| ALCP | |||||||||||
| Conservative | |||||||||||
| Outdoors & Freedom | |||||||||||
| Vision NZ | |||||||||||
| Alliance | |||||||||||
| Free Palestine | |||||||||||
| NZ Loyal | ∅ | ||||||||||
| Te Tai Tokerau | ∅ | ||||||||||