Implications of the pandemic: The case of education in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Covid-19 has surfaced a number of educational issues in New Zealand schools and universities. Many schools and universities were able to move all teaching online within a short time. However, this flexibility was not shared by all educational institutions, or all students. Students from vulnerable communities did not enjoy the same access to learning as those from more affluent schools. The mental and emotional health of many learners, their families and teachers suffered from feelings of isolation. When the national borders closed to international students, departments set up to support their academic language learning have closed. This leaves emergent bilinguals without the linguistic support promised in the New Zealand Curriculum. This in turn endangers the academic success of another vulnerable community.