Labour has announced its plan to lift maths and literacy achievement by offering two million free tutoring sessions to intermediate and secondary school students.
Labour made the announcement on the same day party leader Chris Hipkins tested positive for COVID-19.
Hipkins said he had cold and flu symptoms and will isolate for five days until he returns a negative test.
Senior Labour member and Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni made the announcement on Sunday afternoon in place of Hipkins.
Labour also released its manifesto on Sunday, which outlines all of the party's policies released to date including the 10-point cost of living plan to help Kiwis bring costs down.
If elected, Labour said it would improve maths and literacy outcomes by investing $100 million into free maths and literacy tutoring, upskilling teachers to deliver a new curriculum and increasing education and training pathways for disengaged youth.
"Labour will build on our free tutoring programme by adding two million more hours to ensure young people in years 7-13 have the foundations for success in maths and literacy," Labour Education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said.
"Learning has been disrupted over the past three years so it's important we provide extra catch-up support to students who need it. Equally, we want to make sure that what's being taught in maths and literacy is consistent - and so we'll fund training for teachers in those subjects as well."
The package includes $43 million over four years into education and training pathways for young people who have dropped out or been expelled from school.
"These are some of our hardest-to-reach kids - but Labour won't write them off," Tinetti said.
There is also $35 million for funding two million hours of free maths and literacy "catch up" tutoring for Years 7-13, with schools in regions most impacted by COVID-19 and weather events like Cyclone Gabrielle and Auckland Anniversary floods being prioritised.
Labour said it would also fund maths and literacy training to upskill and support primary and intermediate teachers to implement the new maths and literacy curriculum.
It would cost $25 million over two years from 2025, with all 2131 primary and intermediate schools across the country having access to the fund so they can provide the course to their teachers.
"The Government has already announced it will legislate core requirements for teaching maths and literacy. Today we are announcing a maths and literacy training fund to ensure all teachers get the necessary training and guidance; and so we can lift the overall quality of maths and literacy teaching," Tinetti said.
"This further funding will mean we can do more, on top of the work already underway through the Attendance Service and with our new attendance officers, to get the right services around them and use every lever we've got to get them back to school, into training or work.
"Labour can be trusted to continue to fund education and ensure every child gets every opportunity to succeed."
Hipkins said he was proud of his party's track record.
"I'm proud of our track record, realistic about the challenges before us, and incredibly optimistic about New Zealand's future. Progress is being made. We're turning the corner on so many fronts - now is not the time to turn back," he said.
