We are the 48,000+ principals, teachers and support staff who work in primary, area and secondary schools, early childhood centres, special education and school advisory services.

We come together as NZEI Te Riu Roa - New Zealand’s largest education union, a Treaty-based organisation and a powerful advocate for quality public education.

Scholarship applications for 2021

There are up to ten scholarships available for early childhood and support staff members. The scholarships provide an opportunity for early childhood education and support staff members to enhance their skills and knowledge within the workplace and in education generally. Applications for the scholarships to be taken up in 2021 are now open.

Find out more about the scholarships here.

New Educators Network Activist Hui

New educators from across the country will be getting together in Wellington to upskill, plan and network with other active members at the NEN Te Kupenga Rangatahi's annual Activist Hui. Register your expressions of interest now. 

Find out more here

Support Staff Making a Difference

Teacher aides, admin, other support staff and Kaiārahi i te Reo have voted to accept the collective agreement offers form the Ministry of Education, with the Living Wage of $21.15 as the new minimum pay rate. 

Find out about the settlement here

Our campaigns

ECE Voice

Early childhood teachers so an incredibly important job. But their pay is up to 49% behind kindergarten and primary with the same skills, qualifications and responsibilities. That's not OK. We believe every teacher is worth it and that the government needs to act now to fix the gap. 

If you agree, join our voices with ours and have your say. 

Vote to add your voice here 

Every child is worth it

We think that every child is worth the best early childhood education New Zealand can possibly provide, and a great start in life. We're asking the Prime Minister, Minister of Education and Minister of Finance to honour their pre-election pledge to restore early childhood funding, deliver 100% qualified teachers, and reduce the teacher to child ratios.

Learn more about the campaign

 

 

Mana Taurite - Pay equity

Teacher aides begin their negotiations for a pay equity settlement on the 18th December. Work is still progressing on our early childhood teachers, kaiārahi i te reo and administration claims. 
Keep an eye out here for updates on our pay equity claims. 

Learn more about the campaign

Join the pay equity pledge

Events

Upcoming conferences

  • Te Kāhui Whetū, Tāmaki Makaurau - 4-7 July 2020
  • Annual Conference, Auckland - 27-30 September 2020

Get help


Contact our member advisory officers

Call us between 8.30am and 5.00pm on freephone 0800 693 443, or email nzei@nzei.org.nz for confidential advice.

Recent news and media

04 Dec 2019: NZEI calls for urgent implementation of Government's strategy for early childhood education

NZEI Te Riu Roa is calling for urgency in implementing the Government's 10-year early learning action plan, He taonga te temaiti, released today. Read More

03 Dec 2019: Karen O'Leary stars in new early childhood fair pay campaign video

NZEI Te Riu Roa has launched a new video campaign to get the public behind fixing the huge pay gap between qualified early childhood teachers and other teachers. The video features Karen O'Leary, early childhood teacher and star of Wellington Paranor Read More

03 Dec 2019: Teacher aides welcome pay equity negotiations

Teacher aides have welcomed the Ministry of Education's agreement to begin pay equity negotiations in the week of December 16th. Read More

01 Dec 2019: NZEI Te Riu Roa welcomes government education spending announcements

NZEI Te Riu Roa welcomes the Government's announcement today of a $396m capital injection to upgrade schools, and applauds the Prime Minister's commitment to extend the Living Wage to all school staff. Read More