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Alternate formats for this information are available on the alternate formats page.

Alternate formats

Contact us through New Zealand Relay#

If you are Deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, speech impaired or find it hard to talk, you can contact the Ministry of Education through the New Zealand Relay service.

NZ Relay

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TTY: 0800 4713 713
Voice: 0800 4715 715
Email: [email protected]

Framework for action#

The settlement resolves an IHC complaint under the Human Rights Act 1993, alleging that Government education policies led to discrimination and disadvantage for disabled students in local schools.

We have committed to a framework for action proposed by IHC, that addresses education system barriers for disabled students. It requires the Ministry to investigate several areas of education, such as data collection and reporting, access to specialist support services, infrastructure, and curriculum.

Framework for action: A quality education for all

We will work with a stakeholder group including representatives from disability communities to ensure lived experience informs our work.

Stakeholder group update#

At the end of 2025 we asked for expressions of interest to be part of a stakeholder group as part of our settlement of longstanding litigation with IHC New Zealand. We received more than 100 applications.

IHC stakeholder group has now been selected and has met. This is a significant milestone towards addressing education inequities for disabled students.

The group has been intentionally chosen to represent a wide range of perspectives and experiences and reflect the diverse communities in Aotearoa. It is important that disabled people can see themselves, their experiences and their aspirations reflected in this group. It includes individuals with lived experience of disability, tangata whaikaha Māori, whānau of disabled learners, Pacific representation and disability education advocacy groups.

The role of the group is to support and monitor the implementation of the IHC Framework for Action, which aims to improve access to and outcomes from education for disabled students.

The members selected for the stakeholder group are:

  • Andrew Crisp, IHC CEO and group chair
  • Trish Grant, IHC member
  • Pauline Winter, Auckland Kindergarten Association CEO
  • Heather Lear, Inclusive Education Action Group member
  • Kiri Fortune, Kaihautū Whakarito o Ngā Kura ā Iwi | Learning Support Manager
  • Paul Gibson, former Disability Rights Commissioner  
  • Shane McInroe, People First New Zealand member
  • Cheryl Vallance, Waitākiri Primary School Deputy Principal.

These members will work alongside Ministry of Education officials to progress the objectives of the group.

First meeting#

The first meeting of the group was held on March 6. At this meeting, the group set out its main priorities. Their initial focus is on data collection to understand the current state of the education system for disabled students, and to understand the curriculum to ensure it reflects and includes all learners.

Additional priorities for the group will be identified through future meetings.

Frequently asked questions about the settlement#

Read the settlement#

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