New Zealand proposes mandatory Consent Education in schools

New Zealand's Ministry of Education has released a draft framework that proposes compulsory consent education across all school years. The move aims to standardize relationships and sexuality education (RSE) nationwide, ensuring uniformity, consistency, and clarity in what is taught, from Year 0 to Year 13.

It includes age-appropriate lessons on understanding and communicating consent, as well as recognizing situations where consent is not given.

Education Minister Erica Stanford stated that young people have expressed the need for comprehensive consent education.


It follows a 2024 report by the Education Review Office (ERO) that over 75% of recent school leavers felt they lacked sufficient education on consent, emotional management, and personal safety.

Minister for Women Nicola Grigg supported the initiative, as according to her, women in New Zealand are nearly three times more likely to experience sexual violence than men. She believes that comprehensive consent education can contribute to a cultural shift towards healthier relationships.

The public feedback for the draft framework is open until May 9, 2025. Feedback from important stakeholders like parents, educators, and students will contribute to the final version, which is scheduled for implementation in 2027.

But some educators have expressed concerns about the limited consultation period and the removal of certain topics, such as gender diversity, from the new guidelines. They fear that the draft framework may not provide sufficient flexibility to address the diverse needs of students.