Jaime CunninghamMultimedia Journalist, Newstalk ZB·Newstalk ZB·15 Jun, 2026 05:00 PM4 mins to read‌Teachers of English to Other Languages Aotearoa New Zealand president Gwenna Finikin says the figures do not reflect the full extent of need in schools.More than 90,000 students are receiving help learning English in schools this year – double the number a decade ago – as migration levels and demand continue to outstrip schools’ capacity.

Ministry of Education data shows 90,770 students across 1754 schools received ESOL funding this year, the highest number on