OECD Bullying In A Nice Little Country - the light side
This is not the reality of Aotearoa/NZ today. This is pure fantasy about what the world could look like if different decisions were made. Look out for the companion piece of the same name, but stating the grim reality You decide.
For decades, school bullying was the hidden scar beneath Aotearoa’s polished education system - something many knew about, few tracked, and even fewer addressed with conviction. But in 2025, a political tide turned. And for the first time in a generation, New Zealanders are seeing what it looks like when their government chooses children over convenience.
The catalyst? A damning OECD report revealing that 15% of students were being frequently bullied—the worst rate in the developed world. Instead of issuing a hollow press release or launching yet another review to gather dust, the coalition government - led by a cross-party agreement, chose a different path real, urgent, compassionate reform.
Turning Data Into Action
“We will not let our children be collateral damage in our bureaucratic inertia,” said the Prime Minister at the launch of Te Mana Tamariki, a nationwide strategy to eliminate bullying in schools by 2030. And for once, the strategy wasn’t vague. It came with
A $500 million dedicated fund for mental health and pastoral care in schools
Full-time trained wellbeing coordinators in every primary and secondary school
Mandatory reporting of bullying incidents, tracked publicly and audited for accountability
Immediate response teams to support schools facing severe bullying cases
Peer leadership and restorative practice training for students nationwide
Importantly, the government committed to partnership with Mana Mokopuna – Children and Young People’s Commission, centring tamariki voices in the design and delivery of every programme.
Making School a Safe Place Again
At Kelston Intermediate, once plagued by regular violence, the transformation has been swift. “We went from daily incidents to a real sense of calm,” said Principal Rawinia Poole. “We finally had the staff, the tools, and the mandate to act. And the kids feel it. You can see it in their eyes, they know they matter now.”
Academic results have already started to climb. Schools that implemented the full programme have shown a 20-point increase in science achievement, alongside a 35% drop in absenteeism.
A New Social Contract Protect the Smallest, Uplift the Nation
Why does this matter beyond the school gate? Because when children are safe, they learn. And when they learn, they grow into confident adults with the capacity to contribute to society - not just economically, but emotionally, culturally, and civically.
Reducing bullying is not a “nice-to-have.” It’s an economic, moral, and democratic imperative. It builds trust, inclusion, and resilience in ways that GDP never could.
And now, finally, we have leadership that understands this.
Official Government Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
“New Zealand Chooses Courage Government Launches Nation-Leading Anti-Bullying Programme Te Mana Tamariki”
In response to longstanding concerns and international findings about school bullying, the New Zealand Government has announced a bold new strategy to make every school a sanctuary of safety, learning and belonging.
Te Mana Tamariki is a fully funded, cross-agency, tamariki-centred initiative designed to
Reduce bullying incidents by 70% within five years
Ensure that every school has access to trained wellbeing staff
Hold schools and agencies publicly accountable for their response to bullying
Embed Māori and Pasifika values of manaakitanga, aroha and whanaungatanga into school culture
“Bullying is not a phase - it is a wound. And as a society, we must heal it,” said the Minister for Children. “We are building a country where no child is invisible. Where safety is a right, not a privilege.”
Letter to the Editor – School Principal
To the Editor,
I have been a principal for 27 years, and this is the first time I’ve seen a government walk the talk on bullying.
Thanks to the new Te Mana Tamariki funding, we now have a trained pastoral lead who works full-time with our most vulnerable students. The transformation in our school has been breathtaking. Fights are down. Reporting is up. Students who used to dread coming through the gate now volunteer as peer mentors. We are becoming the village these children have always needed.
We have a long way to go, but now we have the tools. And the will.
With hope,
Frances Lim,
Principal, Wairoa Intermediate
Letter to the Editor – Student, Age 17
To the Editor,
I was bullied all through intermediate and the start of high school. It got so bad I faked being sick to stay home. I thought no one cared.
But this year something changed. We got a new school counsellor who comes to our classes and helps lead conversations. There’s also a student leadership group that’s trained in restorative practice. Last week, one of the boys who used to tease me asked if I wanted to eat lunch with him. I cried on the bus home - not from sadness, but because I finally felt safe.
This is the first time in my life I’ve believed things can change.
Thank you.
— Talia R.,
Christchurch