TEFANZ Raises Serious Concerns About Government’s Overhaul Of Initial Teacher Education

The Teacher Education Forum of Aotearoa New Zealand (TEFANZ) has concerns over the Government’s announcement to “strengthen Initial Teacher Education and workforce governance”. TEFANZ warns that the proposed changes risk undermining professional autonomy and the collaborative structures that underpin high-quality teacher education.

Dr Jae Major, Chair of TEFANZ, says the Government’s plans appear to be based on limited and questionable data, and disregard the longstanding partnership model between initial teacher education (ITE) providers, schools, and early childhood services, and strong positive partnerships with the Teaching Council.

“Teacher education in Aotearoa New Zealand is built on strong, evidence-informed partnerships between initial teacher education providers, schools and ECE centres,” Dr Major said. “These partnerships ensure that programmes are designed with schools and ECE centres, not for them. This proposal undermines the very foundation of that collaboration.”

TEFANZ argues that the Government’s new governance model signals a shift toward ministerial overreach into the independence of the teaching profession and higher education institutions. The announcement follows several policy changes that have left the ITE sector grappling with multiple concurrent reforms, creating significant instability and uncertainty.

“The sector is experiencing change fatigue. Constant structural shifts without genuine consultation make it difficult to maintain focus on preparing quality teachers,” said Dr Major. “We urge the Government to pause, engage meaningfully with the profession, and get the facts right before making further changes.”

TEFANZ questions what the proposed new arrangements will look like in practice and what implications they will have for accreditation, programme design, and the existing relationships that support teacher readiness and professional learning.

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