The new government will reconsider the extra pay lead teachers and principals receive under the Communities of Learning scheme.
Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller
The multimillion-dollar programme pays some staff more to lead work in groups of schools.
Education Minister Chris Hipkins said he agreed with the Communities of Learning goal of encouraging cooperation among education providers, but changes were needed.
"The answers that the government have implemented with Communities of Learning aren't always the right answers.
"So, the Communities of Learning model is quite rigid, a lot of money's tied up in salaries rather than professional development, so we're going to have another look at that."
Mr Hipkins said a reduction in the amounts paid to lead teachers was possible, but no decisions had been made.
'Room for expansion' in move towards free tertiary study
He also said he expected cheaper tertiary education would increase student enrolments by 15 percent.
The new government wants to introduce a free first year of tertiary education next year, with three years' free education by 2024.
Mr Hipkins said polytechnics and universities had the capacity to take on more students.
"If you look at the institutes of tech and polytech for example where they have some concern about decline in international students for example, they're dead keen to be picking up more domestic students."
"So I think there's a huge amount of room for expansion."
Mr Hipkins said better education would make New Zealand more prosperous.