Parliament has passed legislation that will restructure parts of New Zealand's education system, establishing a new school property agency and shifting regulatory oversight to the Education Review Office.
The Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Bill completed its Third Reading on 23 June 2026. Education Minister Erica Stanford described the reforms as clarifying roles and responsibilities across the sector.
Under the legislation, the New Zealand School Property Agency will be set up as a Crown entity to plan, build, maintain and administer the education property portfolio. The agency must be operational by 1 November 2026.
ERO will assume regulatory functions currently held by the Ministry of Education for early childhood services, private schools and school hostels, also by 1 November 2026.
The Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand will be restructured with 7-9 ministerially appointed members and a narrower focus on teacher registration, competence and conduct. The Secretary for Education will take responsibility for setting professional standards covering teacher registration, initial teacher education, ongoing practice and the Code of Conduct.
"A high performing education system depends on high quality teaching," Stanford said. "These workforce reforms are informed by the latest evidence on the need to strengthen the confidence and readiness of our new teachers, as well as recent findings that show the need for a professional regulatory body that has a clear focus on protecting child safety and quality assuring teaching practice."
The legislation also establishes a rolling cycle of curriculum reviews, mandates school participation in international education studies, and requires schools to provide parents with more information about health curriculum content.
Implementation will begin once the bill receives Royal Assent.