Primary teacher stands amongst multi-coloured pillars.

Initial Teacher Education 2040

Initial Teacher Education (ITE) plays a vital role in our education system, preparing future teachers with the knowledge and skills they need to begin teaching.

ITE also feeds the latest developments in pedagogy and teacher practice back into the sector, as a crucial interface between pedagogical theory, research, and classroom practice.

The asks

This work will evolve over time, but we are calling out the following as key outcomes we want to see by 2040 in Aotearoa. 

  1. The establishment of a genuinely bicultural ITE system, grounded in Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
  2. All teachers will be capable of working in level two immersion, meaning that 51–80% of the programme is delivered in Te Reo Māori.
  3. Greater support for ITE partner schools and centres, including funding, coaching and mentoring qualifications for mentor teachers, and building networks for associate teachers to enhance their development.
  4. Greater collaboration and support for first year teachers, including the removal of fixed-term contracts, additional resourcing for advice and guidance schemes.
  5. The creation of a compulsory post-graduate programme for beginning teachers to complete in their first two years.

Learn more about ITE 2040

See what we're proposing and be a part of setting our new teachers up for success.