The Latest from Education https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/education/rss NZME Keep up with the latest in primary, secondary, and tertiary education news with Newstalk ZB. Sat, 04 Apr 2026 21:24:36 Z en Inside the growing trend of therapy dogs in the classroom https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/education/inside-the-growing-trend-of-therapy-dogs-in-the-classroom/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/education/inside-the-growing-trend-of-therapy-dogs-in-the-classroom/ Schools are increasingly using dogs to support students’ mental health and learning in the face of rising anxiety. Sun, 22 Mar 2026 18:11:25 Z Education Review Office to overhaul school report system from Term 2 https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/education/education-review-office-to-overhaul-school-report-system-from-term-2/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/education/education-review-office-to-overhaul-school-report-system-from-term-2/ The Education Review Office (ERO) is overhauling the way it reports on the quality of schools in an effort to provide parents with better information about school performance. Tue, 17 Mar 2026 00:15:27 Z PPTA warns booming rolls and immigration fuelling teacher shortage https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/education/ppta-warns-booming-rolls-and-immigration-fuelling-teacher-shortage/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/education/ppta-warns-booming-rolls-and-immigration-fuelling-teacher-shortage/ With classrooms across the country stretched to capacity, the secondary teachers’ union says the Government isn’t facing up to a growing teacher shortage. Thu, 05 Mar 2026 16:00:20 Z Public Service Commission report into Teaching Council finds ‘highly concerning failures’; firm run by CEO’s husband gets $1.7m in contracts https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/education/public-service-commission-report-into-teaching-council-finds-highly-concerning-failures-firm-run-by-ceo-s-husband-gets-17m-in-contracts/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/education/public-service-commission-report-into-teaching-council-finds-highly-concerning-failures-firm-run-by-ceo-s-husband-gets-17m-in-contracts/ This story has been updated after the Public Service Commission clarified the $1.7m figure in its review was the amount in contracts awarded, not the amount spent. Tue, 17 Feb 2026 02:21:07 Z Cabinet removes te reo Māori name of school lunches scheme https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/education/cabinet-removes-te-reo-m%C4%81ori-name-of-school-lunches-scheme/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/education/cabinet-removes-te-reo-m%C4%81ori-name-of-school-lunches-scheme/ The Government has quietly changed the name of the school lunches programme, dropping the te reo Māori title.Cabinet papers, obtained by Newstalk ZB under the Official Information Act, show in October last year, the Government agreed to update the name of the programme to “Healthy School Lunches”. Thu, 12 Feb 2026 16:00:28 Z Auckland primary school children are missing basic skills such as talking, eating and toileting https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/education/auckland-primary-school-children-are-missing-basic-skills-such-as-talking-eating-and-toileting/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/education/auckland-primary-school-children-are-missing-basic-skills-such-as-talking-eating-and-toileting/ A damning new report shows nearly 90% of Auckland primary schools say there’s an increase in new entrants who do not know basics like how to talk, spell their name and toilet properly. Tue, 03 Feb 2026 01:14:28 Z