President’s Pen

Let’s talk about something that’s been quietly – but powerfully – reshaping the way we do education here in Aotearoa New Zealand and across the world: the Global Education Reform Movement, or GERM. If you haven’t heard the acronym before, you’ve definitely felt its effects. It’s influencing everything from how schools are funded, to what we teach, and how we measure success.

So, what exactly is GERM?

GERM in a Nutshell

GERM started gaining traction in the 1980s, as countries began shifting toward knowledge-based economies. Suddenly, education wasn’t just about learning anymore – it became about competing. In this new world, success meant having the smartest, most productive work­force, and schools became the frontline in that battle.

At its core, GERM is driven by a set of key ideas:

• Schools should compete for students (and funding).

• Teaching and learning should be standardised.

• Success should be measured through test-based accountability.

• The focus should be on basic skills – mainly literacy and numeracy.

• Parents should have school choice, and privatisation of public education is encouraged.

Sound familiar? That’s because we’ve seen these ideas popping up in New Zealand policy for years now. While the context might be local, the script is global – and it’s often guided by political pressure and international comparisons.

The Bigger Picture: Neoliberalism in Education

GERM is part of a much bigger trend. Since the 1980s, many governments – especially in the industrialised world – have adopted neoliberal policies. The idea is that the market knows best, and public services, including education, should work more like businesses.

That means:

• Deregulating systems.

• Reducing public sector investment.

• Prioritising economic growth over social wellbeing.

In education, this plays out as a heavy focus on test results, league tables, and competition. Wellbeing, critical thinking, creativity, and cultural understanding get pushed to the sidelines.

And when policymakers talk about ‘getting back to basics,’ they usually mean more reading, writing, and maths – but only in ways that can be easily measured. The deeper, more human parts of learning often get left out.

The Cycle We Keep Repeating

Pasi Sahlberg, a well-known education thinker, describes a three-year cycle that’s all too familiar: international test results like PISA get published, everyone panics, and politicians call for reform. And instead of taking a step back to reflect on the bigger picture, we double down – more tests, more data, more pressure on schools and teachers.

This reactionary approach rarely addresses the real issues we face in schools. Instead, it leads to more top-down control, less trust in teachers, and often, a very narrow view of what learning actually is.

GERM in Aotearoa – What About Te Tiriti?

In New Zealand, GERM-style reforms have often clashed with our commitments under Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and with the values that underpin our diverse communities. While we’ve followed the same global reform script, that script doesn’t always serve our unique context – especially when it comes to Māori, Pacific, and other underserved learners.

These reforms sideline cultural identity and ignore the impor­tance of mana ōrite mō te mātauranga Māori.

As principals, we know that embedding Te Tiriti is not optional – it’s a responsibility. Culturally responsive practice, authentic partnerships with whānau, and curriculum that reflects Māori worldviews are not add-ons. They are essential to equity and excellence.

And we also know that our diverse learners thrive when their identities, languages, and cultures are genuinely valued. GERM doesn’t account for that. It assumes a one-size-fits-all model of success, where being culturally different often means being behind.

What About Learning Support?

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: Aotearoa New Zealand has one of the longest tails of underachievement in the developed world. We’ve known this for years – and yet our system continues to under-resource the students who need the most support.

Far too many of our tamariki are falling through the cracks, not because they aren’t capable, but because the system isn’t resourced to meet their needs.

This burden is falling squarely on schools. Principals are left to stretch budgets, patch together support staff, and navigate long waiting lists for specialist services, while trying to ensure every child has access to a meaningful education.

If policymakers are serious about lifting achievement, they need to stop chasing test scores and start investing in targeted, sustainable learning support funding. That means:

• Properly funding teacher aides and specialists.

• Reducing delays in accessing supports.

• Resourcing inclusive education in ways that make it work in the classroom, not just on paper.

We can’t shorten the tail if we keep leaving the same kids behind.

So, What Next?

GERM doesn’t have to shape the future we build. As school leaders, we’re in a unique position to resist the narrowness of GERM and lead with a purpose that’s grounded in our context, our communities, and our values.

Let’s keep:

• Leading with Te Tiriti at the centre of everything we do.

• Protecting cultural responsiveness in curriculum and pedagogy.

• Valuing teacher expertise, not just standardised metrics.

• Demanding proper learning support for our most vulnerable students.

• Backing the broader purpose of education – not just as economic preparation, but as identity-building, community-strengthening, and socially transformative work.

GERM might be global, but our response needs to be local – and principled. Education isn’t just about producing high test scores or future workers. It’s about nurturing whole people, grounded in their culture, confident in their learning, and prepared to contribute meaningfully to the world.

Let’s keep asking the hard questions, standing up for our tamariki, and leading with a vision that truly reflects who we are as a nation.