Kāhui Ako: The Real Story Isn’t About a Programme—It’s About a Broken Promise

Why the reaction to Kāhui Ako’s potential removal says more about our system than the initiative itself.

The pre-Budget news that Kāhui Ako (Communities of Learning) may be disestablished has ignited strong reactions across the education sector. On teacher chats, social media threads, and in professional forums, I’ve seen a mix of relief, disappointment, and resignation. Some educators are applauding the move. Others are deeply concerned.

But for me, the real story isn’t whether Kāhui Ako should stay or go. It’s why there is such a wide variation in how people have experienced it in the first place.

And that variation tells us something critical: we’re still working within a system where the experience of school—and the outcomes students can expect—are not consistent across Aotearoa. They are shaped by context, by resource, by leadership, and often by postcode.

That’s not what public education is supposed to be.

The Education and Training Act 2020 is clear. It sets out that our education system should be inclusive, equitable, and designed so that every learner can reach their full potential. Boards of trustees are tasked with ensuring that every student at their school can attain their highest possible standard of achievement. These are not optional ideals—they are legislative commitments.

Put simply: children in Aotearoa should be able to enrol at their local school and be assured that the quality of their education, the support they receive, and their opportunity to thrive are not dependent on geography, ethnicity, or income.

If we were truly aiming to be “world-leading”—as the government is currently laying claim to—we would be learning from countries like Finland, where the system is deliberately designed to ensure that attending your local school will give you the same educational experience and outcomes as any other school in the country. There, equity is not something to aim for—it’s the baseline.

Here in Aotearoa, the fact that a national initiative like Kāhui Ako has worked brilliantly for some and not at all for others shows us that we’re still a long way from that baseline. The inconsistency isn’t just a reflection of the initiative—it’s a reflection of the system.

Of course, we should be asking how best to invest public money to support learning support and inclusion. But that conversation must go beyond shifting funds from one initiative to another. It must confront the deeper truth: we have not yet built a system that guarantees equity. Not in access. Not in support. And not in outcomes.

Until we can address that reality, we will continue to see education reforms land in polarising ways—because they’re landing in a system where not everyone is standing on equal ground, and many have been starting behind for generations.

---

Curious about the work I do in education around the world?

I’m currently working alongside educators and systems in Australia, Canada, Finland, Nigeria, India and Singapore—sharing learning, supporting innovation, and advocating for what truly matters in education: people, purpose, and professional trust. If you're interested in where I’m travelling, who I’m working with, or how this work might support your own context, here’s where you can learn more:

Professional Speaker Profile – Keynotes, consultancy and facilitation
P-BLOT – Evidence-informed support for behaviour and learning
Connect on LinkedIn – Reflections, resources and current projects