We are writing this open letter as a community of educators and researchers who want all children to succeed in mathematics and statistics. We are deeply concerned with the October 2025 changes to the mathematics and statistics curriculum and the process used for its development. 

Careful benchmarking was undertaken in writing both the 2023 and 2024 versions of the mathematics and statistics curriculum to align expectations against those from similar countries in our region and to detail a more explicit sequence of mathematical learning. These changes served an educational purpose and responded to feedback on past curricula. The October 2025 changes seem more political than educational. This is unfair to teachers, but, more importantly, it is potentially damaging to learners.

Why has the curriculum been re-written for a third time in three years? 

Our concerns about the October 2025 curriculum are as follows: 

1. Waste of money: A huge amount of money and time has been wasted on unnecessary multiple rewrites, professional learning and texts and resources that are unaligned with the curriculum. Spending more money and time implementing a new, unjustified, unexpected and unexplained curriculum is a waste of taxpayer funds and professionals’ time and energy.

2. Mistakes: The speed of the rewrite and lack of consultation has resulted in the publication of a curriculum with multiple errors.  

3. Overcrowded: There are an unrealistic number of learning objectives. In the first year of schooling, there are 86 objectives (across knowledge and practices). This compares with 30 objectives in the 2024 version of the NZ curriculum and contrasts with the United Kingdom, Singapore, and Australia curricula which have between 12 to 28 objectives.  Too many objectives means that children will not be able to learn core concepts due to cognitive overload and insufficient time for practice. 

4. Misaligned: The significantly higher expectations in the 2025 mathematics and statistics curriculum exceed developmental realities. This is misaligned with international curricula and may result in the introduction of new and complex topics before students have learned foundational skills needed to succeed. Some objectives are directly copied from the Australian curriculum and used at the same year level without the consideration that Australian students are one year older with an extra year of schooling given a different level year system (their system is kindergarten to year 12 rather than year 1-13).

5. Key ideas missing: The change in structure of the 2025 mathematics and statistics curriculum puts us out of step with other countries that explicitly acknowledge throughout their documents the need for statistical investigations and mathematical processes such as problem solving, reasoning, and explaining and communicating ideas. 

6. Unrealistic implementation: Inadequate preparation time for teachers to learn, resource, and teach a new mathematics and statistics curriculum which has been significantly changed - bearing in mind that the same thing happened this time last year too. 

We call for an immediate pause to this latest curriculum roll out. We ask for due process and transparency before any further steps are taken. Only last week ERO released a review suggesting that the 2024 curriculum was working. We want clarity on why we even need another version of the mathematics curriculum. 

Only through genuine and thorough consultation with the education community in New Zealand will we be able to shape a mathematics and statistics curriculum that is fit for purpose for all New Zealanders.

Mathematics and statistics educators and researchers in New Zealand including: 

 

Jodie Hunter, Professor, Massey University

Glenda Anthony, Emeritus Professor, Massey University

Bobbie Hunter, Emeritus Professor, Massey University

Fiona Ell, Associate Professor, University of Auckland

Joanna Higgins, Associate Professor, Victoria University of Wellington Te Herenga Waka

Naomi Ingram, Associate Professor, University of Otago

Pania Te Maro, Associate Professor, Massey University

Caroline Yoon, Associate Professor, University of Auckland

Robin Averill, Associate Professor, Victoria University of Wellington Te Herenga Waka

Linda Bonne, Senior Lecturer, Victoria University of Wellington Te Herenga Waka 

Lisa Darragh, Senior Lecturer, University of Auckland

Raewyn Eden, Senior Lecturer, Massey University 

Jyoti Jhagroo, Senior Lecturer, Auckland University of Technology

Ofer Marmur, Senior Lecturer, University of Auckland

Jane McChesney, Senior Lecturer, University of Canterbury

Pamela Perger, Senior Lecturer, Auckland University of Technology

David Pomeroy, Senior Lecturer, University of Canterbury

Brian Tweed, Senior Lecturer, Massey University

Sue Wilson, Senior Lecturer, University of Canterbury

Julie Roberts, Kairangahau Matua | Senior Researcher, NZCER

Anna Fergusson, Lecturer, University of Auckland 

Louise Fitzgerald, Lecturer, Massey University. 

Generosa Leach, Lecturer, Massey University

Martha McFaul, Lecturer, Auckland University of Technology

Alli McKenzie, Lecturer, University of Otago

Bilinda Offen, Lecturer, University of Otago 

Jessie Shuker, Lecturer, University of Canterbury

Pamela Vale, Lecturer, University of Waikato

Bronwyn Gibbs, Kairangahau | Researcher, New Zealand Council for Educational Research 

Belinda Haig, Senior Professional Practice Fellow, University of Otago 

Julia Milligan, Senior Professional Practice Fellow, University of Otago

Olivia Wheeler, Senior Professional Practice Fellow, University of Otago

Pip Arnold, Professional Teaching Fellow, University of Auckland

Megan Clune, Professional Teaching Fellow, University of Auckland

Kim Locke, Professional Teaching Fellow, University of Auckland 

Anne Patel, Professional Teaching Fellow, University of Auckland

Melina Marama Waite, University of Auckland

Jules Coup, University of Auckland

Kim Madden, Mathematics Mentor, Massey University

Emily Pearce, Mentor in Mathematics, Massey University 

Selina Chittenden-O’Leary, Deputy Principal, President Manawatu Mathematics’ Teachers Association

Rose Golds, Head of Mathematics, Northcross Intermediate

Jody Hayes, Curriculum Lead, Grey Lynn School, Auckland

Mike Camden, Wellington