January Submissions

Yep, it's started already

You’d think we might get a break over summer but it seems this government is quite enthusiastic about cracking on with terrible legislation.

The Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Bill talks up efficiency, clarity, and oversight, but, once you dig into it, the Bill fails to protect the rights and inclusion of disabled learners. This is a problem, especially given the song and dance about the settlement between IHC, the Ministry of Education, and the Minister of Education, and their new Framework for Action: A Quality Education for All.

Submissions close at midnight tonight!! Scroll down for quick links if you want to get cracking.

stock photo of a group of small children walking in pairs. They are wearing hats and backpacks

What the Bill does (summary)

The Bill proposes significant structural changes to New Zealand’s education system, including:

• Centralising decision-making and Ministerial control over curriculum and school governance

• Changing regulatory and oversight functions for schools and early childhood services

• Allowing sponsors to hold contracts for multiple charter schools

• Creating a property agency for schools operating on Crown land

These changes might seem technical, but they have real-life consequences for disabled learners and their families. Centralisation without safeguards runs the risk of reducing flexibility, removing local decision-making, and leaves disability inclusion ‘to chance.’

The Government has already acknowledged systemic education failures

Recently, IHC and the Ministry of Education reached a settlement acknowledging that the education system had disadvantaged disabled learners. As part of this settlement, the Ministry committed to a Framework for Action: A Quality Education for All, which focuses on:

• Ensuring disabled learners are visible in data and reporting

• Timely access to specialist supports

• Making the curriculum and assessments inclusive for all learners

• Improving school accessibility and learning environments

• Collaborating across agencies to ensure accountability

• Engaging with families, whānau, and disabled communities

This framework is rights-based, disability-informed, and long-term. It is designed to prevent the inequities that impact disabled learners across the country.

How the Bill falls short

The Bill does not explicitly reference the IHC–MoE settlement or the Framework for Action. Additionally, the Bill does not:

• Guarantee inclusive education obligations across all schools and regulatory bodies

• Require disability expertise in decision-making or oversight

• Ensure that schools have the resources, flexibility, and autonomy to support disabled learners

• Embed co-design with families and whānau in any meaningful way

For blind and low vision learners, inclusive education depends on professional judgment, specialist supports, and local responsiveness. The Bill as written risks reducing rather than strengthening these enablers.

Photo by Anamul Hasan on Unsplash

Why it’s important

Inclusive education is a human right. Without explicit protections, disabled learners will continue to face barriers to participation, learning, and achievement. Families shouldn’t have to fight the system just to ensure their children can belong. Parents know that we cannot rely on goodwill or discretion. Too many schools tell us that our children cannot attend and weaponize policies against our kids to prevent attendance. Education, at a systems level, must mandate inclusion, embed accountability, and listen to the people it serves.

What you can do

The Government is asking for submissions. Your voice matters. Even a short submission can:

• Highlight the need for inclusion to be explicitly protected in law

• Emphasise that disabled learners’ rights must be central to education reform

• Advocate for co-design with families, whānau, and disabled communities

• Support transparency, accountability, and proper oversight of inclusive education

Submissions are open until midnight tonight, 14 January 2026. You don’t need to be an expert. Just speak from your experience, values, and/or concern for disabled learners.

Key Points to include

If you’re not sure where to start, consider including any or all of the following:

• The Bill must explicitly recognise and implement the IHC/MOE Framework for Action

• Inclusive education duties should be legally binding across all schools and agencies

• Disability expertise and lived experience must inform oversight and regulatory decisions

• Schools must have the flexibility, resources, and autonomy to meet individual learner needs

• Data collection, monitoring, and reporting on disabled learners’ participation and outcomes must be strengthened

You can also read information from NZEI Te Riu Roa about the Bill. They request that people submit against this bill! This sends a clear message to the Coalition Government that you stand with the public and our tamariki for a strong Te Tiriti based, inclusive public education system, designed with Māori, educators, experts and communities.

NZEI have also kindly provided a document link which includes guidelines for making a submission and a handy summary of key elements of the bill.

Disabled learners, their families, and whānau have already waited a ridiculous amount of time for a system that is only minimally inclusive. The System Reform Bill presents an opportunity to get this right, but it will require pushing back on what is being presented.

Make a submission today. Your voice can help ensure that inclusive education is not left to chance.

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🔗 Helpful links

• Make a submission: Parliament submissions page

• Read a Submission from PVI: Parents of Vision Impaired NZ

• Framework for Action: Quality Education for All

• NZEI Te Riu Roa: Guide to Making a Submission