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18/12/2025
Ken Robertson
[FYI request #32778 email]
Tēnā koe Ken
OIA: [GEMS45990] – costs associated with the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh
Thank you for your email of 7 November 2025 to the Ministry of Education (the Ministry) requesting
the following information:
1. The total amount of money the Ministry has spent on New Zealand and overseas external
consultants and contractors (e.g. curriculum writers, design experts, subject-matter experts,
and external advisory groups) specifically for the work on the draft curriculums covering the
learning areas and framework released on 28 October 2025 (Science, Social Sciences,
Health, The Arts, Learning Languages, Technology, and the draft framework of the New
Zealand Curriculum | Te Mataiaho).
2. A breakdown of the consultant spend by curriculum area
3. Whether the Ministry has forecast or budgeted further consultant expenditure for the
completion, refinement, or implementation of the new curriculum (for example through to
implementation in 2027 or 2028) and, if so, the amount forecast or budgeted.
Your request has been considered under the Of icial Information Act 1982 (the Act).
I am refusing
parts one and two of your request under section 18(g) of the Act as the requested
breakdown is not held by the Ministry. The Ministry does not categorise consultant spend by
curriculum area or version as some experts work across multiple learning areas throughout the
iterative development process.
To respond to this part of your request would require the creation of new information, however, we
can advise that the total spend on the Curriculum Change Programme as of 30 November 2025 is
$57.7 mil ion. This includes development of both the New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga
o Aotearoa, costs for Phase 5 subject development and operational spend. This figure spans a
period of five years.
In response to
part three of your request, the forecasted budget across the Curriculum Change
Programme as a whole is as shown in the following table:
Wellington National Office, 1 The Terrace, Levels 5 to 14, Wellington 6011
PO Box 1666, Wel ington 6140, DX SR51201 Phone: +64 4 463 8000
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2025/26 ($‘000)
2026/27 & Outyears ($‘000)
31,553
19,559
Budgeted costs reflect the programme of work as a whole. Forecast consultant and contractor
spend is incorporated into the overall above figures and is not held as a separate, discrete figure.
This part of your request is also therefore refused under section 18(g) of the Act as the specific
information you have requested is not held by the Ministry.
Please note, we may publish this response on our website after five working days. Your name and
contact details wil be removed.
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
Claire Eden
General Manager, Business Operations
Te Mahau | Te Poutāhū (Curriculum Centre)
OIA: [GEMS-45990]
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