| Primary School Education | | | | The tertiary education to study in New Zealand is used |
| Schooling is available to children from age 5 and is | | | | to describe all aspects of post-school education and |
| compulsory from ages 6 to 16. | | | | training. There are 36 public tertiary education |
| Primary education starts at Year 1 and continues until | | | | institutions, including eight universities, twenty-one |
| Year 8, with Years 7 and 8 mostly offered at either a | | | | institutes of technology and polytechnics, four colleges |
| primary or a separate intermediate school. Most | | | | of education, three wananga (Maori tertiary education |
| schools teach in English medium, but some schools | | | | institutions). There are also 46 industry training |
| teach in the Maori medium. | | | | organizations, and approximately 895 private training |
| Some schools in New Zealand are Kura Kaupapa | | | | establishments, which include private English language |
| Maori in which the principal language of instruction is | | | | schools, registered by the New Zealand Qualifications |
| Maori and education is based on Maori culture and | | | | Authority. Tertiary education in New Zealand offer |
| values. Most Kura Kaupapa Maori caters for students | | | | courses at widely different levels, from transition |
| from Years 1 to 8, and a few (Wharekura) cater for | | | | programmes to postgraduate study and research. |
| students up to Year 13. | | | | Technical and Vocational Education |
| Secondary School Education | | | | Technical and Vocational Education to study in New |
| Secondary education system in New Zealand covers | | | | Zealand is mainly offered at institutes of technology, |
| Years 9 to 13, (during which students are generally | | | | polytechnics, private training establishments. Some |
| aged 13 to 17). Most secondary students in New | | | | programmes are also available in secondary schools, |
| Zealand attend Government-funded schools, which are | | | | wananga, government training establishments, one |
| known variously as secondary schools, high schools, | | | | college of education and several universities. |
| colleges or area schools. | | | | Higher, or Degree-level Education |
| The National Certificate of Educational Achievement | | | | Universities usually offer higher, degree-level education, |
| (NCEA) is the national senior secondary school | | | | but institutes of technology, polytechnics, wananga and |
| qualification to study in New Zealand. Students are | | | | colleges of education, and at some private training |
| able to achieve the NCEA at three levels via a wide | | | | establishments also offer higher degree programmes. |
| range of courses and subjects, both within and beyond | | | | Summary: School Education in New Zealand is divided |
| the traditional school. The three levels of the NCEA | | | | into Primary and secondary education. Post school |
| correspond to the final three years of secondary | | | | education is covered by tertiary education. Technical |
| schooling (Years 11-13). The student must achieve 80 | | | | and Vocational Education is offered by institutes of |
| credits on the National Qualifications Framework, 60 at | | | | technology, polytechnics, private training establishments. |
| the level of the certificate and 20 others to gain an | | | | Higher education to study in New Zealand is provided |
| NCEA. | | | | by Universities and other institutes. |
| Tertiary Education | | | | |