Keep agriculture in the curriculum

“ACT will campaign for agriculture to remain a subject in the Year 11 school curriculum,” says ACT’s Agriculture spokesperson Andrew Hoggard.

“In September, I wrote to Education Minister Erica Stanford asking her to confirm that Agricultural and Horticultural Science will remain as a standalone subject in the Year 11 Science curriculum. I’m gutted to learn this isn’t the case.

“We’re a food and fibre producing nation so learning about our biggest exporter shouldn’t be an unconventional subject.

“Food and fibre exports are forecast to reach $64.3 billion in the year to June 2026, we should encourage more young Kiwis to learn the ropes, but interest will shrink if we don’t make it easily available.

“Over the last nine years 111,693 have studied Agricultural and Horticultural Science across 359 schools. 63 percent of students taking the subject are at urban schools. It is not only rural students who benefit, for many young people in towns and cities this may be their only structured chance to learn how the industry works.

“Removing agriculture as a Year 11 standalone subject sends the wrong message. For schools with strong agricultural programmes – such as Feilding High School, which recently featured on Country Calendar – this change creates a real challenge for them, by leaving a gap in their Year 11 programme.

“It’s also an industry loaded with well-paying jobs if only talented young Kiwis would take them. Given that dance is a standalone subject at Year 11, I don't understand why schools that already have a programme, and have a student demand for it, can't have the opportunity to teach it."