Make a complaint

You can make a complaint in writing or in email, by ringing us, or at a face-to-face meeting.

Complaint about

Where to complain

Complaints about the Ministry of Education

For all complaints about the Ministry 

Email: enquiries.national@education.govt.nz

Sensitive Claims of Abuse in State Schools before 1989

Sensitive Claims of Abuse in State Schools process

Complaints about education providers

ECE service complaints

Complaints about your early childhood education services(external link)

School or related complaints

Speak to the Principal, then to the school board. If you are not happy with the response from the school, contact your local office for support.

Local Ministry offices

Or you can contact the Office of the Ombudsman.

Office of the Ombudsman(external link)

A complaint about a teacher

Complaints about teachers should usually first go to the teacher’s employer (the school board), to give them a chance to investigate your concerns. If you are not happy with how the school has dealt with the issue, you can raise your concerns with the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand(external link)

If you have a concern or complaint about the use of seclusion in a school, contact your local Ministry office straightaway.

Local Ministry offices

Statutory Intervention complaints

Complaints can be about a statutory appointee working in a school.  This may be a Specialist Adviser, Limited Statutory Manager or a Commissioner. 

Raise your complaint directly with the statutory appointee first. If you're not happy with the response from the appointee, contact your local office for support.

Local Ministry offices

Learning support services complaints

If you have concerns about a learning support service, you can make a complaint. We'll work with you to resolve it.

Making a complaint about a learning support (special education) service

Physical restraint complaints 

If you believe unjustified restraint has occurred with your tamariki and wish to raise your concerns, start by asking the school principal or manager about schools’ complaints process. You can also read the Ministry’s guidance on how to make a complaint, contact your local Ministry Office or visit the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand’s website(external link). Independent options are available here.  

Complaints about other education organisations

Education organisations like New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA), Education Review Office (ERO) and Tertiary Education Commission (TEC)

Send your complaint to the relevant organisation.

Our complaints process

Once we've received your complaint we'll get in touch with you within two working days to discuss how we'll handle it.

Transparency statement

The transparency statement explains how we collect, use, and share information gathered about individuals and organisations for the purposes of carrying out our statutory functions under the Education and Training Act 2020.

Transparency statement about information gathering for regulatory compliance purposes

If you're still not happy with how we're handling your complaint

If you raise an issue with us, we will work with you and do our best to resolve it. If after working with us you are still not happy with how we've handled your complaint, there are a range of options for you to consider to seek a resolution.

Complaints options independent of the Ministry

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