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NZ First on Education

Back to basics curriculum, free trades training, restructured student support

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.

What they say they'll do

  • Enforce compulsory schooling and address truancy
  • Focus school curriculum on reading, writing, and arithmetic; remove gender ideology and critical race theory
  • Conduct a Select Committee Inquiry into whether NCEA is working
  • Move 'Fees Free' from first year to third year for full-time students who pass all coursework
  • Free apprenticeships for in-demand trades, with fees refunded after each successful trade exam
  • Student loan abatement: one year of loans wiped for every two years of full-time work in a shortage field

Who this affects

School students and their families
The curriculum would shift to emphasise reading, writing, and maths, and content related to gender ideology and critical race theory would be removed.
Tertiary students
The free fees entitlement would move from the first year to the third year of study, available only to full-time students who have passed all coursework up to that point.
Apprentices and trades trainees
People training in trades that are in demand would have their fees and course costs refunded after successfully completing each trade examination.
Graduates working in shortage occupations
Those who stay in New Zealand and work full-time in a critical shortage role after qualifying would have one year of their student loan wiped for every two years worked.

In their own words

“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”
Verify at NZ First — official policy page

Summarised neutrally from NZ First’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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