The education system is designed to reflect New Zealand’s diverse and unique society. It recognizes different abilities, religious beliefs, ethnic groups, and ideas about teaching and learning, and it allows education providers to develop their own special characters. It is inclusive of all students, with support provided for students with additional education needs.

New Zealand’s education system has three levels – early childhood education, primary and secondary education and tertiary education:

• Early childhood education (ECE) is for learners from 0 – 6 years of age, which translates to International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) 2011 levels 0 and 1. Ninety-five per cent of children attend ECE before they start school.
• Primary and secondary education is for learners from 6 years of age to 19 years of age, which translates to ISCED 2011 levels 1 – 3.
• Tertiary education (New Zealand’s term for vocational and higher education) is for learners who have finished their secondary education, which translates to ISCED 2011 levels 3 – 9. Tertiary education encompasses foundation, technical and vocational, and academic education.

Education is compulsory for children aged 6 to 16 years and is free for New Zealand citizens and permanent residents until the age of 19. At the primary level there are different types of schools: for example, state schools that are entirely funded by the government, state integrated schools that are partially funded by the government and also operate based on the principles of their own philosophies, private schools that are mainly self-funded and Te Aho o te Kura Pounamu, for students who live remotely or want to study subjects not offered by their nearest school.

Tertiary education is highly valued and promoted, with equitable access supported through government student loans, student allowances and a “fees free” policy. The fees free policy covers up to NZD$12,000 worth of study and is available to students with little or no prior tertiary study.

The national curriculum covers subjects that are taught at primary and secondary schools and the standards students should reach at each subject. Schools that teach in the English language use the New Zealand Curriculum and schools that teach in the Māori language use Te Marautanga o Aotearoa (a curriculum based on Māori philosophies). The National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) is the national senior secondary school qualification. The NCEA challenges students of all abilities in all learning areas and shows credits and grades for separate skills and knowledge.  It enables students to gain credits from both traditional school curriculum areas and alternative programmes.

While English is the main language of instruction in most education institutions in New Zealand, increasingly early childhood education centres and schools are teaching in te reo Māori and Pacific Island languages. Bi-lingual Māori and English education is available from early childhood education through to higher education levels. Kura Kaupapa Māori are state schools where the teaching is in te reo Māori and is based on Māori culture and values.  Wānanga are publicly owned tertiary education institutions where teaching delivery and research are undertaken according to tikanga Māori.

New Zealand’s education institutions generally run their school/academic years from January or February to November or December. The school year is divided into four terms with breaks of two to three weeks between them, while the tertiary academic year is divided into two or three semesters.

New Zealand government: New Zealand Education Journey from early childhood education to doctoral levels.

See here for types of schools and year levels.

Treaty of Waitangi / Te Tiriti o Waitangi: New Zealand’s education system honours Te Tiriti o Waitangi/the Treaty of Waitangi, which is a founding document of New Zealand that establishes the relationship between the Crown and Māori. The Treaty protects Māori knowledge and skills (mātauranga Māori) as a national taonga (treasure) and recognizes that Māori have full and equal participation in society, including education, as Māori.

National Education Bodies: New Zealand’s education system is overseen, regulated and quality assured by several national education bodies, each with a different area of responsibility. The Education and Training Act 2020 establishes and sets out the different functions for these bodies:

The Ministry of Education/Te Tahuhu o te Mātauranga is the lead advisor on the education system. It shapes the strategic direction and goals for education in partnership with learners, providers, education agencies and other organizations.

The Tertiary Education Commission/Te Amorangi Mātauranga Māori (TEC) leads the Government’s relationship with the tertiary sector. It provides government funding, supporting the tertiary and careers system to ensure New Zealanders are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed for lifelong success.

Education New Zealand is New Zealand’s government agency for building international education. It promotes New Zealand as a study destination and supports the delivery of education services offshore. It also administers scholarships to support New Zealanders studying overseas, particularly in Asia and Latin America.

Quality assurance agencies: New Zealand has three agencies responsible for quality assurance, ensuring consistent, high quality education across all levels of the education system: The Education Review Office, New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA), and Universities New Zealand (see infographic below):

The basis of the quality assurance system is the Evaluative Quality Assurance Framework (EQAF) – the key parts of the framework are represented below:

Education Review Office (ERO)/Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga: The ERO is the government department that evaluates, reviews and reports on education and care for learners in early childhood services and schools. Its reports are used by parents, early childhood, primary and secondary teachers, managers, school principals and trustees and by government policy-makers.

New Zealand Qualifications Authority/Mana Tohu Mātauranga ō Aotearoa (NZAQ): New Zealand Qualifications Authority/Mana Tohu Mātauranga ō Aotearoa (NZAQ) is the steward and administrator of the New Zealand Qualifications Framework, ensuring New Zealand qualifications are accepted nationally and internationally. NZQA works with other countries’ certifying and validating bodies to recognize their educational and vocational qualifications in New Zealand, and to allow the recognition of New Zealand qualifications overseas.

NZQA’s statutory role covers secondary and tertiary education. It is responsible for:

• setting statutory Rules that regulate the quality of qualifications and providers
• administering the National Certificates of Education Achievement (NCEA) for secondary students
• quality assurance of non-university tertiary education providers.

Universities New Zealand/Te Pōkai Tara:  Universities New Zealand is a representative body which provides quality assurance for university qualifications through its Committee on University Academic Programmes, and through the independent Academic Quality Agency for New Zealand Universities.

The Teaching Council of New Zealand/Matatū Aotearoa is the professional body for the New Zealand teaching profession.  It is responsible for registering teachers in early childhood, primary and secondary education, in Māori and English settings. The Council is mandated to lift the status of the teaching profession, quality teaching, and educational leadership, to obtain better outcomes for learners.

Quality assured initial teacher education takes place in universities, the New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology subsidiaries (formerly Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics), Wānanga and private training establishments. The Teaching Council approves initial teacher education programmes for the non-university sector together with NZQA, and Universities New Zealand (UNZ) approves initial teacher education programmes at universities.