Submissions for the NCEA Consultation have now closed. But our voices are still being heard.

We are taking the petition to WELLINGTON! Come join us or help us share this information if you can't make it.

The petition to Save Outdoor Education will be presented on the steps of Parliament on Tuesday, 21 October at 12.30pm. This is our moment to show the government that Outdoor Education belongs in the curriculum.

1) Sign and Share the Petition

• Add your name if you haven’t already.

• Share it widely, with friends, family, schools, and your networks.

• Our goal is 60,000 when we deliver it on the steps of Parliament.

2) Join the Rally at Parliament

• Tuesday 21 October, 12pm on the steps of Parliament, Wellington.

• Bring your voice, banners, and whānau.

• Gather at 12pm, Rally starts at 12.30pm, Petition handover starts at 1pm.

• Use our parent, student, teacher, principal, outdoor provider and alumni email templates to tell your friends and networks.

• Rally Guide Coming soon...

We have created a flyer to put up in schools, work places and out in the community.

3) Email your MP

Let MPs know OE must stay on the general curriculum subject list and invite them to the Rally.

• List of MP's below. Click on your MP and you will see their email address.

• MP Email template: Use our Template and Email Key Points document to guide you.

• Tip: Share a short personal example. Keep it respectful and clear.

• Bonus: Tag them in a rally post on social media.

4) Share on Social Media

Social media is one of the most powerful ways to keep Outdoor Education visible.

• Share our rally posts on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn.
• Post your own content - photos or a short video about why Outdoor Education matters to you, or why you’re coming to the rally (full details and instructions in the Social Media Guide below).
• Always tag @EricaStanfordMP and your local MP.
• Use #BringOutdoorEdBackIn and #SaveOutdoorEd.

For tips, prompts, and guidelines on what to post now, before the rally, and on the day itself, download our supporter guide below.

5) Stay Connected

The petition presentation is a milestone, not the finish line.

• Check back on this webpage; we’ll keep it updated with the latest news, resources, and next steps.

• Follow the campaign on socials, share, repost, and tag #BringOutdoorEdBackIn to keep the momentum growing.

• Contact us, media, partnerships, or queries at ce@eonz.org.nz.

Here’s everything you need to back the campaign and spread the word:

• Printable Flyer (PDF and IMAGE) — includes QR code linking to this page. PDF Flyer. PNG Image Flyer.

• Email Templates:

  • For MPs (PDF) — ask them what they are doing to ensure Outdoor Education remains accessible. MP Template.

  • For Supporters & Networks (PDF) — easy wording to share the campaign with your community. Supporter Templates.

• Rally Guide (PDF) — practical info for Tuesday 21 October at Parliament. COMING SOON.

• Media Kit — Press release COMING SOON

Outdoor Education has been excluded from the senior academic subject list and reduced to a narrow “vocational only” option.

This means:

• No Year 11 pathway, the subject disappears before it even begins.

• No University Entrance credits from Outdoor Education.

• Less flexibility for schools and students, curriculum decisions shift away from educators.

• Fewer opportunities and more inequity, as less schools provide Outdoor Education.

Across Aotearoa, parents, students, teachers, principals, and outdoor providers have sent a clear message: Outdoor Education belongs in the curriculum.

The government’s proposed changes strip Outdoor Education of its academic pathway.

Right now, Outdoor Education can be taught through achievement standards, unit standards, or a mix of both, giving students pathways to:

• University Entrance

• Endorsements

• Level 2 & 3 Outdoor Education

• Careers in tourism, sustainability, conservation, education, and more

Under the proposed system:

• Year 11 Outdoor Education disappears completely.

• Year 12 Outdoor Education shifts into a vocational-only programme, with an unknown structure and no University Entrance.

• This breaks the pathway to higher learning, leaving only a narrow industry option.

The diagrams below show the difference clearly. Click the button to download them directly.

There is a link to Willow-Jean Prime https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/first-up/audio/2019004726/labour-mp-willow-jean-prime-on-teachers-strikes

Outdoor Education is rigorous, relational, and deeply academic. It delivers benefits across education, wellbeing, and society:

• Academic & Rigorous, Outdoor Education has its own distinct body of knowledge; it’s not just activities outdoors.

• Engagement & Equity, keeps diverse learners engaged and in school.

• Knowledge-Rich Learning, active, experiential education boosts focus, memory, and problem-solving, lifting achievement across maths, reading, and writing.

• Workforce & Pathways, builds leadership, teamwork, risk management, and problem-solving, opening doors to tourism, conservation, education, environmental management, and more.

• Identity & Care for Nature, strengthens connection to our land and waters, part of who we are as New Zealanders.

• Health & Wellbeing, time in nature reduces stress, builds resilience, and supports lifelong wellbeing, lowering rates of anxiety, depression, and inactivity, easing long-term pressure on health systems.

• August 2025: Consultation on the NCEA opened.

• 11 September 2025: Government release Senior subject list confirming that OE is a vocational-only subject to be developed by an Industry Skills Body and is not a general curriculum subject.

• 15 September 2025: Consultation period ended. Momentum surges: 49,000+ petition signatures; hundreds of submissions lodged.

• 17 September 2025: Petition hits 50,000 signatures.

• 21 October 2025: Petition presented at Parliament, 1pm. Everyone welcome at the rally: parents, students, teachers, outdoor providers, supporters.

Outdoor Education is in the news and people are speaking up.

• RNZ, The Detail: Outdoor Education: Up Creek Without Paddle

• TV3 News: Outdoor Education being a vocational only subject

• 95bFM: Stop the Government taking away Outdoor Education — interview with Fiona McDonald, Education Outdoors NZ

• RNZ Morning Report: Outdoor Education and Tourism teachers concerned about NCEA overhaul

• Newstalk ZB (Politics Central): Willow-Jean Prime: NCEA reforms not worked through properly

• The Press / Stuff: Outdoor education is not optional, it's essential — Celia Hogan opinion piece

• RNZ / Nights: The case to keep outdoor education as core school subject — Celia Hogan interview

• Pacific Media Network: Concerns raised about education changes for Pacific students — Freya Bullock

• NZ Herald: Bay of Plenty schools fear for outdoor education after proposed Government change

• Whenua Iti Outdoors: Policy Change Threatens Future of Outdoor Education in New Zealand Schools

• The Press / Stuff: Students and society will miss out if Outdoor Ed changed, schools say

• 1News: Outdoor educators call curriculum shake-up 'short-sighted'

• Waikato Times / Stuff / Opinion: Dropping subject could benefit us; it’s still a bad idea — Malindi MacLean, CEO Outward Bound NZ

This has been one of the strongest education campaigns in recent years:

• 50,000+ petition signatures

• 500+ submissions

• 200+ share your voice messages and video submissions

During the consultation period, we prepared a number of resources, templates and evidence. You can find these here for reference:

• Submission guidance and templates: Parents, Students, Teachers, Principals, External Providers/Organisations/Sector.

• Supporting Information: PDF document with evidence, data, and messages to strengthen your submission.

• Story collection: Microsoft Form link (written) + filming guide (Video).

• Media kit: press release, quote bank, logos, photos.

• MP list: find your MP and click their name for their email address.

• PPTA Website: has excellent resources explaining the overarching proposal to replace NCEA. Check it out here.

• MoE Website: has information regarding the overarching proposal to replace NCEA. Check it out here.

Is OE just PE outdoors?
No. OE has distinct content, assessment, and academic outcomes, plus strong links to environmental stewardship and future pathways.

Will my child still get credits?
Under the proposal, keeping OE off the general list risks fewer supported options and could reduce access. Retaining OE on the general list protects choice and pathways.

Will keeping OE on the list cost more?
No, there is no new bureaucracy required to keep OE on the list. It’s a low‑cost, high‑impact decision that supports attendance, skills, and our economy. It's very simple, just put Outdoor Education on the List. 

Where is this list you mention?

The MoE released the list on the 11th September, 4 days before the consultation period ended. There are other great subjects not on the list.