New Zealand Education

New Zealand Education (part 1)

Education in New Zealand is nominally free for all primary, intermediate and secondary schooling. However, most schools also ask for a "voluntary donation" from parents, informally known as "school fees" or a "parental contribution".

These fees include the cost of schoolbooks, stationery, materials for art/trade classes, uniforms and school trips. Fees vary widely depending on individual school requirements but are usually in the order of several hundred dollars.

Pre-school

Pre-school services are in high demand so it is advisable to register your child’s name as soon as possible.

Some pre-school services, such as kindergartens three to five-year olds, continue to be subsidised by the government. Parents are required to pay a small, regular donation which pays for art supplies, play equipment and toys.

Other pre-school services, which are run by private operators, community church groups and voluntary agencies, generally involve a cost. The lowest cost option is the Playcentre movement, which is run by parents, and involves only the provision of small donations to pay for regular supplies.

As a general rule, state funding is provided only if the service is licensed by the Ministry of Education and has a charter that formally sets out education policies. The Ministry of Education sets the standards that early childhood centres must abide by. Criteria include minimum ratios of staff to children, and restrictions on the numbers of children. The centres are regularly monitored by the Education Review Office (ERO), whose reports about individual centres are available online.

The Ministry of Education, as well as most local authority websites, provide local contacts and advice on the range of early childhood services available. This service is free.

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