Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ) has expressed its approval for the recent decision to bring back accounting as a standalone subject in the National Certificate of Education Achievement (NCEA) Level 1 curriculum from 2028.  

The NCEA, New Zealand’s primary national qualification for secondary students, is integral to both employment prospects and tertiary education admissions.  

To achieve NCEA Level 1, students are required to earn 80 credits, with specific literacy and numeracy standards to be met.  

From 2012, this will include ten credits in each area. Level 1 is typically undertaken in Year 11, the third year of secondary school. 

CA ANZ had previously expressed concerns over the combination of accounting with other commerce subjects such as business studies and economics, fearing that it would weaken students’ grasp of essential accounting principles.  

CA ANZ NZ government affairs leader Lydia Tsen stated: “We’ve seen what happens when we let talent shortages in crucial professions get out of control, whether it’s in health, education, or accounting. Under-investing in essential education can have serious consequences, but we can prevent this in finance and business.  

“Despite the subject having only been taught for one full year, teachers, parents, educators and CA ANZ raised concerns that NCEA Level 1 Commerce is too broad and that the flexibility and variability in the assessments mean not all students are being exposed to fundamental accounting concepts that would set them up for further accounting education.” 

Tsen highlighted the gap between NCEA Level 1 Commerce and higher levels of accounting, which could impact student performance and their willingness to continue with accounting at Levels 2 and 3. 

According to Tsen, enrolments in Accounting & Finance Bachelor degrees have seen a substantial decline of approximately 40% since 2018.  

CA ANZ CEO Ainslie van Onselen said: “The curriculum taught in schools directly influences the career choices students make. Allowing students to explore accounting concepts and build their confidence with this material at NCEA Level 1 means that students will be more likely to consider accounting as a career. 

“Of course, there is no silver bullet to solving talent challenges. A strong secondary school curriculum will be very helpful, and CA ANZ is committed to working with the profession to address the shortage of accountants through our ‘Make Epic Things Happen’ campaign and deep engagement with educators, universities and students on campus.”  

Infometrics has predicted a shortfall of 15,000 accountants in New Zealand over the next five years.  

CA ANZ members currently get a median salary of $144,200, which is more than double the national median, Onselen added.  

In August 2025 CA ANZ  launched the AI Fluency Playbook to assist members in harnessing the capabilities of generative AI (genAI).  

This playbook provides practical guidance on integrating genAI into accounting practices and includes case studies demonstrating AI’s impact on client interactions, reporting, and workflow automation.