These oracy skills represent our fundamental ability to understand and use spoken language. They are non-negotiable for children’s cognitive, social, and emotional development, shaping their confidence, their ability to think critically, and their capacity to engage in constructive debate. In an era dominated by digital interactions and artificial intelligence, the importance of oracy has never been more urgent and prioritising oracy in education is no longer optional; it is essential.

The implications of poor oracy range from diminished numeracy and literacy to reduced socioeconomic outcomes and higher instances of mental health and criminal justice issues. These ‘basic’ language skills underpin our cognition (learning and understanding) and metacognition (learning how to learn) and without them, we could be six times less likely to reach the expected standard for core subjects like english and maths and one and a half times more likely to have mental health difficulties. But poor oracy is not just an individual issue; it’s a national one. In Aotearoa the cost of inaction has been estimated at an astonishing $1.39 billion over three years in lost productivity alone. Yet the solution is clear: these outcomes are largely preventable, early intervention is affordable and effective.

While isolated successes with initiatives in regions like Nelson Tasman, Taranaki, and Christchurch show what is possible, the national picture remains fragmented and inconsistent.Piecemeal efforts are insufficient; we need a cohesive national strategy that integrates oracy into curriculum design, teacher development, and assessment frameworks. High-quality oracy education is not the norm, but it should be. This is a failure we cannot disregard. The potential for unlocking opportunity and transforming lives through oracy is enormous but while it is not being realised the costs to our country and to our tamariki will continue to escalate.

Countries like the UK, Finland, and Australia are already leading the way by embedding oracy into their curricula, demonstrating that change is possible. Aotearoa must follow suit. Over the last five years, there has been a groundswell of support for a greater emphasis on oracy in our education system in reviews, inquiries and reports. Parents want it, the economy demands it, democracy needs it, teachers welcome it and our tamariki deserve it. The time to act is now.