[IN-CONFIDENCE - RELEASE EXTERNAL]
17/09/2025
Rimu Bhooi
[FYI request #31983 email]
Tēnā koe Rimu
OIA: [1352276] – use of Artificial Intelligence for the assessment/marking of Year 9, 10, and 11
secondary school students' work
Thank you for your email of 12 August 2025 to the Ministry of Education (the Ministry), subsequently
refined on 21 August 2025, requesting the following information:
Copies of all emails, instant messages, texts, and transcripts of phone calls/video calls received by
senior Ministry officials on the use of "Artificial Intelligence" for the assessment/marking of Year 9, 10,
and 11 secondary school students' work (excluding NCEA), between 01/12/2023 and 01/12/2024.
To be clear, this includes both incoming communications from the Minister of Education and her
office, AND incoming communications by any party being consulted/asked to advise on the above.
But excludes submissions or communications made by members of the public.
Your request has been considered under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).
We have interpreted your reference to
senior Ministry officials as referring to officials at Tier 3 (General
Manager) level and above in the Ministry Business Units most likely to have received communications
on this topic.
Following an extensive search of relevant communication channels, no
emails, instant messages, texts,
and transcripts of phone calls/video calls received by senior Ministry officials on the use of "Artificial
Intelligence" for the assessment/marking of Year 9, 10, and 11 secondary school students' work
(excluding NCEA), between 01/12/2023 and 01/12/2024 have been identified. I am therefore refusing
your request under section 18(e) of the Act as the requested information does not exist or, despite
reasonable efforts to locate it, cannot be found.
Thank you again for your email. You have the right to ask an Ombudsman to review my decision on
your request, in accordance with section 28 of the Act. You can do this by writing to
[email address] or to Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143.
Nāku noa, nā
Hayley Welch
General Manager, New Zealand Curriculum & Te Whāriki
Te Poutāhū (Curriculum Centre)
Wellington National Office, 1 The Terrace, Levels 5 to 14, Wellington 6011
PO Box 1666, Wellington 6140, DX SR51201 Phone: +64 4 463 8000
[IN-CONFIDENCE - RELEASE EXTERNAL]