The education system in New Zealand is governed and administered by a number of different agencies and providers at different levels.
New Zealand’s education system has 3 levels:
- Early childhood education for toddlers and small children
- Primary and secondary school for students aged 5–19
- Further (tertiary) education, which includes
- higher education
- vocational programmes
Childhood education (ECE)
This is pre-school education for children under the age of five. It is characterised by a world-leading national curriculum and there is continual emphasis on increasing the levels of teacher quality.
School Education
There are around 2,600 schools in New Zealand, almost all funded by the government making them free for New Zealand citizens. Each school follows a national curriculum but are self-managed and well resourced.
Teraiary Education
Tertiary education in New Zealand is delivered by the following: Universities Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITPs) Private Training Establishments (PTEs) Industry Training Organisations (ITOs) Tertiary institutions all deliver a variety of educational options, often in flexible ways to meet the needs of adult learners.
