Budget 2025#

Kāhui Ako will be formally disestablished with effect from 28 January 2026 as a result of a Budget 2025 decision to reinvest their funding in Learning Support.

School boards will need to work through the impact of the changes for Kāhui Ako leaders and teachers that they employ. This will be different in every school depending on the arrangements that the board has put in place for people working in Kāhui Ako roles. School boards will consult with their employees about the changes and how it affects their role.

The Ministry and Te Whakarōputanga Kaitiaki Kura o Aotearoa New Zealand School Boards’ Association (NZSBA) will work with schools and Kāhui Ako to support them with implementing the change.

Te Whakarōputanga Kaitiaki Kura o Aotearoa – NZ School Boards Association

Read a fact sheet about the changes to Kāhui Ako below.

About Kāhui Ako#

How Kāhui Ako have operated#

Kāhui Ako, or Communities of Learning, bring together education and training providers with the aim of helping students to achieve their full potential.

Each Kāhui Ako sets shared goals, or achievement challenges, based on the needs of its children and young people. The Kāhui Ako works with students, their parents, whānau, iwi and communities to achieve those goals across the learner pathway.

Kāhui Ako include early learning services, schools, kura, and post-secondary education providers.

State, state-integrated, schools and kura that are members of Kāhui Ako receive ongoing operational funding and staffing support. Private schools and early learning services can be unfunded members.

There are 220 established Kāhui Ako around New Zealand.

Achievement challenges#

Achievement challenges are the goals a Kāhui Ako sets for itself. Each Kāhui Ako should set 3 to 5 achievement challenges based on the key priorities in their community.

Identifying achievement challenges#

The below documents provide guidance for Kāhui Ako that are identifying achievement challenges.

Endorsement of achievement challenges#

Submit completed achievement challenges to your Director of Education for endorsement. Endorsement enables a Community of Learning to access the full range of resources available to them to support the important job of tackling the challenges.

Once endorsed, your achievement challenges plan will be published on Education Counts.

Kāhui Ako | Communities of Learning – Education Counts

Refreshing achievement challenges#

We expect Kāhui Ako to formally review and refresh their achievement challenges every 2 to 5 years, with the appointment of a new lead principal, or if goals are reached.

We have developed guidance to help you. You may also consider using the development maps to help assess the progress you have made as a Kāhui Ako.

When achievement challenges are refreshed, you must send a copy to your regional office for review and approval by the Director of Education. Once approved, we will replace the original achievement challenge with the refreshed version on Education Counts.

Support#

We offer a range of support to Kāhui Ako from the early stages of establishment, through to being fully functioning. Contact your regional education advisor to talk about support options.

The board of each school or kura receives $1,000 when it joins a Community of Learning.

Each board then receives $1,000 each year to help with costs relating to maintaining their Community of Learning.

Inquiry time#

Inquiry time is no longer available for schools and kura in a Kāhui Ako.