Education Minister Erica Stanford has announced a suite of training and peer support initiatives to strengthen the teacher workforce.
Stanford is speaking to media at Auckland's New Windsor School on Friday morning.
It comes as new data showed the teacher workforce supply is at its strongest in two decades, Stanford said.
"As many as 5200 qualified primary and secondary teachers are expected to join our teacher workforce over the next three years as a result of our work.
"Currently, we have more teachers in the workforce since records began in 2004, with the largest year-on-year increase for primary teachers in 2024 and for secondary teachers in 2025."
Stanford said there were more teachers in training, with first-time enrolments increasing by 30 percent in 2025 and retention rates were stable, having stayed at 90 percent for many years.
Education Minister Erica Stanford at the announcement in Auckland. Photo: RNZ / Nick Monro
"The latest teacher supply data projects a return to surplus for primary schools this year, with a national surplus of 530, set to grow to 1350 by 2028.
"Secondary teacher supply is improving - we have a surplus projected in the next three years with a narrowing shortfall, and work will continue on closing the gap. There is still work to do and we are continuing to focus our initiatives on our high schools."
She said there were gaps across Māori-medium settings and in some geographic areas, along with secondary teachers specialising in STEM subjects.
Workforce investment initiatives:
- Aspiring Principals programme and Beginning Principals programme - 200 aspiring principals and up to 450 early-career principals will benefit from a new professional development pathway from Term 2. These programmes are evidence based and supported by mentoring, and aim to prepare experienced teachers and newly appointed principals to lead in schools.
- Boost for in-class training places for new teachers - Increasing the number of in-classroom training spots from 242 places in 2025 to 533 places in 2026. The School On-site Training Programme supports the Government's work to supply confident, well-prepared new teachers and support student achievement.
- Peer to peer principal support - From Term 1, the Ministry of Education's Leadership Advisory Service is growing. Leadership advisors are all experienced principals who are on call and available to support principals directly across New Zealand. They provide coaching and advice, and information about policy changes. The team is expanding from 16 to 32 advisors.
- Supporting rural teaching with Go Rural - The new Go Rural fund will promote teaching in rural and isolated schools and support new teachers wanting to experience teaching in our regions through removing financial barriers. Student teachers can receive a $4,000 grant to teach in one of 454 eligible Go Rural schools. Applications are now open, providing up to 123 student teachers this year.
- Strengthening Māori-medium teacher supply - funding for the Iwi Māori Work Support Programme has increased from $1.1 million to $2.3 million annually. This will support more iwi organisations to address teacher supply shortages.
Stanford also announced the new Education Excellence Awards to recognise outstanding achievements in schools and kura in four categories - primary schools with up to 150 students, primary schools with more than 150 students, Kaupapa Māori, and secondary schools.
For each of the four categories, achievement in the following fields will be recognised: raising student achievement, improving attendance and engagement, quality teaching and instruction and school leadership.
Nominations open from March 16 to April 10 2026.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
