Parts of the Coalition Government’s curriculum changes were labelled “unachievable” in its own official documents, as it was unable to meet a self-imposed deadline.

The changes were the sole missed target in the Government’s last ever quarterly action plan.

Further work was required on the draft Years 0-10 curriculum for Māori-medium education framework, Te Marautanga o Aotearoa, making it “at risk” and eventually “unachievable” as the quarter progressed, according to proactively released documents from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC).

The final point on the Government’s quarter 4 action plan was to “release the curriculum draft for Years 0-10 in other learning areas”.

The finalised English and maths curriculum content was released in October but drafts for other learning areas had to be pushed back.

It was the only policy out of 33 in total for that quarter that was not completed in time.

The draft Years 0-10 curriculum content across all learning areas was released on 28 October, but more documents confirmed more time was “required” to finalise the draft content across Te Marautanga o Aotearoa - the curriculum for Māori-medium schooling.

Ministry of Education curriculum centre deputy secretary Pauline Cleaver said further work was required on the Māori-medium curriculum “so it could be released in a complete and coherent form” for consultation.

The draft was eventually released in January.

Draft frameworks and content for the New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa are currently available for public feedback until late April. Finalised versions are expected mid-2026.

Curriculum changes were not always labelled as a risk. An update on the Government’s quarterly action plan on October 28 labelled the policy as probable.

The probable label stayed the same on November 10, with the quarterly plan update then stating content across the wananga ako of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa was “being finalised” and at the time was expected to be available shortly.

Cabinet’s November 24 status update continued to label the policy as probable, stating content was being finalised and planned to be released on December 8.

That was not the case.

An update prepared for a cabinet meeting on December 8 labelled the policy “at risk”.

The paper then said it was being finalised “with some delays experienced” that had put achievement of the policy by the end of the quarter officially at risk.

“Mitigations are currently being explored, including how te reo Māori translation activities can be sped up,” it said.

The final progress report for the quarterly action plan said further time was required, as the deadline was up.

Reacting to the documents, Labour education spokeswoman Ginny Andersen said it was a “real shame” and claimed proper consultation and co-design were not there “from the get go”.

Budget 2025 provided $4.8 million to establish seven curriculum advisor roles, ringfenced for Kaupapa Māori and Māori medium education from Years 0 to 8.

Quarterly action plans referred to in the documents are now a thing of the past, with the Government focusing on a “broader plan” in 2026.

Azaria Howell is a multimedia reporter working from Parliament’s press gallery. She joined NZME in 2022 and became a Newstalk ZB political reporter in late 2024, with a keen interest in public service agency reform and government spending.