Historic first: Holocaust included in draft NZ Year 10 curriculum
For the first time in New Zealand history, the Holocaust is explicitly included in the draft Year 10 Social Sciences curriculum, marking a major step forward in Holocaust education across New Zealand.
The draft curriculum, released by the Ministry of Education, contains two sections relevant to students’ study of the Holocaust. The first, “Persecution of Jews and other minorities,” traces early persecution, pogroms in Europe, the Nuremberg Laws (1935), Kristallnacht (1938), and references the Holocaust. The second, “The Holocaust,” covers the origins of Nazi antisemitism, the escalation of persecution, ghettos, emigration, mass shootings, extermination camps such as Auschwitz and Treblinka, as well as victims, resistance, liberation, and the Holocaust’s legacy and remembrance.
Holocaust education in New Zealand has historically relied on optional modules or local initiative. The inclusion in Year 10 means that every student could, for the first time, learn about this defining event in human history within the national curriculum.
The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand (HCNZ) welcomed the inclusion, highlighting its potential to ensure all students gain a clear understanding of the Holocaust’s causes, execution, consequences, and lessons for human rights and citizenship. HCNZ also encouraged the Ministry to expand coverage to include:
- All major victim groups, including Roma, Sinti, disabled persons, and political opponents.
- Explicit moral, ethical, and civic lessons, linking the Holocaust to contemporary issues such as antisemitism, discrimination, and genocide prevention.
- Connections to New Zealand, including refugee intake, local community memory, and commemoration initiatives.
- Clear learning outcomes and teacher guidance to ensure age-appropriate and consistent delivery across schools.
The Year 10 curriculum provides an invaluable opportunity to teach students not just history, but the lessons of empathy, ethics, and active citizenship. By naming the Holocaust explicitly, we can ensure students understand both the historical facts and the ongoing importance of standing against hatred and prejudice.
The Ministry of Education is seeking feedback on the draft curriculum until 24 April 2026, with formal adoption and rollout of the updated curriculum content planned for mid-2026. If adopted, teaching of the Holocaust in Years 0–10 will become required from the start of 2027.
The Holocaust Centre plans to release guidance materials for the public, helping New Zealanders prepare submissions to support mandatory and comprehensive Holocaust education.
“Together, we can ensure that the lessons of the Holocaust are never forgotten — and that every generation learns from them,” the Centre said.
