New Zealand Students to Learn Country’s History in New Curriculum

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks during a press conference at Parliament in Wellington, New Zealand, on March 16, 2022. Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

All New Zealand students will learn about their country’s own history from 2023 after years of advocacy from history teachers.

Schools will now be required to teach students about the Treaty of Waitangi, how immigration has shaped the national identity, and about colonialism in the Pacific and the role New Zealand played in it.

In addition, students will learn about the history of the native land and people and have a greater understanding “about Maori, the migrant history of Pasifika, and the Asian community.”

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the curriculum ensured that every child would learn about the history of New Zealand, also known as Aotearoa in the Maori language.

“It would be very rare to find a country that didn’t teach its own history so I think this is about New Zealand joining the rest of the pack,” Ardern told reporters.

The initial plan was to have the curriculum rolled out by this year, however, it was delayed due to COVID-19 disruptions.

The expert panel convened to advise the Education Ministry for the draft history curriculum warned in 2021 that “history can hurt” and teachers had concerns about how they would handle sensitive topics in the classroom.

One of the experts, Michael Belgrave, who is a history professor at Massey University, said the last thing anyone wanted was creating greater division instead of fostering understanding.

“Teachers are going to have a real challenge to make sure that these critical parts of our history are there, but are done in a way that’s safe for students and doesn’t in the end create further division and confrontation,” he said.

Ardern said one of the most important things about learning the history of New Zealand in school was that it helped provide a better understanding of the community.

“We should be proud to teach our kids about where we’ve come from, in all parts,” she said.

Education Minister Chris Hipkins said the curriculum was developed with the help of history and curriculum experts, native Maori people, Pacific communities, students, parents, and more.

“That’s now a reality. All young people will grow up understanding key aspects of Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories and how they have influenced and shaped the nation,” he said. “This exciting development in our education system means generations to come will better understand our place in the world and what has made us the nation we are.”