Philosophy teachers in Aotearoa, New Zealand, have been quietly doing remarkable work for decades. Since the late 1990s, teachers have advocated for the subject, built it into schools, and demonstrated again and again what philosophy can do for young people. In 2006, the New Zealand Association of Philosophy Teachers (NZAPT) was formed, drawing on the strength of existing philosophy teaching to advance the subject and support an increasing number of teachers and schools interested in setting up their own programmes.

In 2011, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, NZAPT leaders developed Teaching and Learning Guidelines for Philosophy, securing subject recognition. Philosophy was viewed at the time as an “orphan” subject, recognised, but without its own achievement standards. Within the flexibility of NCEA, teachers built rich, accessible courses, and in some schools where programmes are timetabled, that value learning beyond assessment, philosophy found a home. Teachers see the impact of the subject every day, in learner achievement and wellbeing, and in the enthusiasm of students and whānau who recognise what philosophical inquiry and practice makes possible.

Philosophy is taught as a distinct subject in schools across the world. In France, it has been a compulsory part of the baccalauréat for centuries, and strong traditions of school philosophy exist across Europe, Latin America, Africa and increasingly across Asia and the Pacific. New Zealand’s decision to bring philosophy together with civics and politics is distinctive and inspired. Where others teach these disciplines separately, CPP recognises that civic and political life demands more than knowledge of institutions and systems. It demands the capacity to reason carefully, question assumptions, and make sound ethical judgements. That is philosophy’s contribution, and it is exactly what the combination of these subjects makes possible.