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flag New Zealand's phonics-focused school reform boosted early reading scores nationwide by 2025.

flag New Zealand’s nationwide rollout of structured literacy in primary schools since early 2025 has led to measurable gains in early reading, with the share of students meeting reading expectations rising from 36% to 43% after 20 weeks of school. flag The government attributes the improvement to mandatory phonics instruction, $67 million in teacher training, and targeted support, with declines in students needing help from 52% to 33%. flag Gains were seen across ethnic groups and school deciles, including Māori, Pacific, and low-decile students. flag Phonics checks, used to assess foundational skills, will become mandatory in 2026, with a goal of 80% of Year 8 students meeting standards by 2030.

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