Improve education provision in Aotearoa New Zealand

Currently the focus of education provision in Aotearoa New Zealand is on successful school achievement in specified learning areas and provision of guidance for Kaiako. Yet, the real purpose of education is ako – to collectively equip ākonga with knowledge, skills, values, and capabilities for lifelong learning. Without clarity on the ‘why’ – the purpose for education – people in the system flounder in knowing what to teach, when, or how. This commentary proposes building assessment and learning capability to provide clarity on these important questions and thereby enable the education system to celebrate ākonga diversity and agency through life wide and lifelong learning.