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Mrs Campbell
[FYI request #34364 email]
18 May 2026
Tēnā koe Mrs Campbell
OIA: [GEMS-47572] – Request for information relating to the risks associated
with delivering the New Zealand Curriculum refresh
Thank you for your email of 3 April 2026 to the Ministry of Education (the Ministry)
requesting the following information:
Please provide:
1. The most recent centralised risk register or consolidated risk summary held
by the Ministry relating to the rollout of the new national curriculum (including
the Common Practice Model), created or updated within the last six months.
I am specifically seeking the Ministry’s overall, programme-level view of risks,
rather than subject-specific or workstream-specific registers asked for in my
previous request that was refused for substantial collation.
2. Any risk ratings, descriptions, or mitigation summaries within that
centralised view that relate to the impact on student learning or attainment,
particularly for students participating in the first two years of the new
curriculum.
3. Any briefing or summary provided to the Minister of Education in the last six
months that includes the current overall risk status of the curriculum rollout.
Your request has been considered under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).
As advised in our letter of 4 May 2026, the timeframe for responding to your request
was extended for 15 working days to 26 May 2026 under section 15(1)(b) of the Act.
The Ministry maintains a programme-level risk register for the overall delivery of the
Curriculum and Assessment Change Programme. The register identifies and records
risks and issues relating to matters such as programme scope, timeframes and
dependencies, cost pressures, resourcing, quality, and engagement.
Wellington – National Office, PO Box 1666, Wellington 6140
Phone: +64 4 463 8000
education.govt.nz
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The risk register is used as an internal management tool to support the ongoing
monitoring of programme delivery and to inform regular programme status reporting
and decision‑making, with mitigation actions and hygiene practices in place to
support delivery.
I am refusing
parts one and
two of your request under section 18(a) of the Act by
virtue of section 9(2)(g)(i) providing good reason to withhold the information to protect
the free and frank expression of opinions between officials. We consider that
disclosure of the programme risk register, and the information contained therein,
would be likely to inhibit the candid identification, assessment, and management of
risks relating to the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh, which is necessary to support
effective decision-making and good government.
As required under section 9(1) of the Act, I have considered the public interest in
releasing the information withheld. I do not consider that the public interest
considerations favouring the release of this information are sufficient to outweigh the
need to withhold it at this time. I believe the greater public interest is in protecting the
ability of individuals to express free and frank opinions in the course of their duty.
I am refusing
part three of your request under section 18(e) of the Act as the
document alleged to contain the information requested does not exist. No
written
briefing or summary has been provided to the Minister of Education in the last six
months that includes the current overall risk status of the curriculum rollout. The
Minister is kept up to date on curriculum and assessment change programme
delivery through a combination of regular reporting, responsive briefing and weekly
meetings with officials. The Minister is provided with a quarterly, high-level report
aligned with her achievement target of more students at expected curriculum levels.
The report outlines the progress of key initiatives supporting delivery of the target. It
is not specific to, or limited to, the curriculum rollout.
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
Antony Harvey
General Manager (acting), Business Operations
Te Poutāhū | Curriculum Centre
education.govt.nz
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