Education in New Zealand

Education in New Zealand is nominally free for all primary, intermediate and secondary schooling. Most of the schools ask for voluntary donations in the form of school fees or parental contribution.

There are three types of school in New Zealand: State, Private {registered or independent} and state integrated schools. State and state integrated schools are government funded, while private schools receive about 25% of their funding from the government, and the rest from tuition fees.

Primary and Secondary education is compulsory for students between the ages of 6 and 16, until the age of 19.Most of the students start at five and remain for 13 years. The last two years of primary school which start at year 8 are normally considered as intermediate schools. Many private schools, state area schools, and state integrated schools take students from years 0 to 13, or years 7 to 13. According to Independent schools New Zealand, an advocacy group for private schools, about 86% of all school-aged children attend state schools, 10% attend state integrated schools, and 4% attend private schools.

Before the recent system where schools are identified by the year number, a system of Forms, Standards and juniors were used and is still being used at some schools, especially by independent schools. They are numbered from 1 to 13. Primary schools up to year 6, intermediate at year 8, and secondary the remaining five years.

For state schools, a new system for enrolling students in a school that is overcrowded has been effective with the Education Act 2000.Such schools on enrolment scheme have a geographically designed “home zone”

Tertiary education or post secondary education is the non-compulsory educational level after completing secondary education. It is also called third stage, third level education or higher education. Colleges and universities provide this education, and this includes under graduate and post graduate education. Higher education includes teaching, research and social service activities of universities, including the under graduate and graduate level.

A Bachelor’s degree will take three years, and further study will lead toHonours degree. A Bachelor’s degree may be followed by Master’s degree, and a candidate who has either a Master’s degree or a bachelor’s degree with Honors may proceed to a doctoral degree. Entry to most universities is open. Domestic students will pay fees subsidized by the government, and the student- paid portion can be loaned from the Government, or students can apply for “Student Allowance” which does not need to be paid back. “Bonded Merit Scholarships” are also provided by the government to cover the student-paid portion of fees.