NZ history taught by 2022
A push to ensure New Zealand history is taught in the country’s schools in a coherent manner has paid off, with the prime minister announcing changes to the curriculum.
Jacinda Ardern said yesterday that all schools and kura would be expected, by 2022, to teach the country’s history.
Curriculum changes being made would reset a national framework so that all learners and a¯konga were aware of key aspects of New Zealand history and how they had influenced and shaped the nation, Ardern said.
Aspects of New Zealand’s history to be covered were expected to include the arrival of Ma¯ ori to Aotearoa; first encounters and early colonial history; the Treaty of Waitangi and its history; colonisation of, and immigration to, Aotearoa; the New Zealand Wars; the evolving national identity of New Zealand in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; and the country’s role in the Pacific.
‘‘We have listened carefully to the growing calls from New Zealanders to know more about our own history and identity. With this in mind it makes sense for the national curriculum to make clear the expectation that our history is part of the local curriculum and marau a¯ kura in every school and kura,’’ Ardern said.
The move comes after a 2018 Stuff campaign, Time to Tell our Story, which led a push for the New Zealand Wars to be taught across the board in schools. Then, in June, the NZ History Teachers’ Association presented a petition to Parliament for the ‘‘coherent’’ teaching of New Zealand history to be made compulsory in schools.
In 2015, Leah Bell was part of a group of Otorohanga College students who started a petition for a national day of commemoration for the New Zealand Land Wars and an introduction of local histories into the New Zealand curriculum. After the announcement, an emotional Bell said its value could not be put into words.
‘‘We hope that people will take pride in learning our history and even in the dark moments of bloodshed, of assaults, of war, they will see the beautiful connections . . . even though we have a brutal past, understanding who we are is actually what brings us together. It is a lack of knowledge that makes a fearful arrogance.’’
Ardern said the national curriculum enabled schools and kura to decide how New Zealand history was covered but variation in delivery meant too much was left to chance.
Education Minister Chris Hipkins said the Ministry of Education would work with a range of groups to develop a New Zealand history update.
‘‘The ministry will call on historical and curriculum experts, iwi and mana whenua, Pacific communities, students and a¯ konga, parents and wha¯ nau, and other groups with a strong interest in shaping how New Zealand history is taught,’’ Hipkins said.
‘‘Once the updates to the curriculum are known, existing supports will be reviewed and an implementation package with teaching and learning resources will be developed ready for the 2022 school year.’’
History Teachers’ Association chairman Graeme Ball welcomed the announcement but was surprised by the timing, having presented the argument for compulsory history teachings only two weeks ago to the education and workforce select committee.
A successful curriculum implementation would not be a ‘‘national narrative’’ on New Zealand’s history but give students the opportunity to form their own ideas with content that covered ‘‘warts and all’’, he said.
Information provided with the announcement said it was too early to say what would be taught at each year level.