Key issues of education in New Zealand

Many consider New Zealand to be a land of educational opportunity.

New Zealand operates a three-tier schooling system, composed of primary, intermediate and secondary streams. Here, education is compulsory for children aged between six and 16 and is fully funded at state schools for citizens and permanent residents from the age of five to 19. There are also private schools, where most of the income is obtained from school fees and endowments.

In addition, migrants who are studying or working in New Zealand - and who meet criteria determining the types of study or work they can do - can apply for a student visa for their children. This allows kids to attend school during the course of their parents’ work or study. Since they are treated as domestic students, they do not have to pay tuition fees to attend a primary or secondary school [1].

However, education remains a struggle or out of reach for too many children in this country.

Despite significant government funding, and a wide choice of education providers, only 81% of this country’s school-aged children are enrolled in school. This means that 19 %— almost a fifth — are not[3]. Why is this?

Education remains inaccessible to Kiwi kids living in hardship

Several reasons for the enrolment deficit have been suggested. The lack of sufficiently challenging yet stimulating curricula in schools, difficulty in motivating disengaged students and the need for schools to address issues that face vulnerable kids such as bullying, loneliness, and diverse learning needs.

Perhaps the most pressing reason is that many children are currently living in hardship. According to the New Zealand Health Survey 2019/20, around one in five children were living in households where food ran out sometimes or often due to lack of money [4]. When kids lack stable housing, have poor nutrition and face family stress on a daily basis, it’s nearly impossible for them to thrive at school.

A lower socioeconomic status (SES) can also have a direct effect on children’s ability to learn or reach their full potential. Children’s SES is determined by an assessment of their household income and their parents’ educational qualifications. Unfortunately in New Zealand, Māori and Pasifika people are more likely to have a lower SES because of an inequitable distribution of income and education across this country’s population [5].

An inability to participate well in education can have a far-reaching effect. When children do not have the essentials such as proper food or access to learning tools, they are unable to perform their best in the classroom. More importantly, it impacts their mental wellbeing and confidence.

Poor educational achievement may lead to poor employment opportunities and a lower level of income in the future. In this way poverty may be passed on to the next generation and over time, it traps people in a social cycle that is hard to break.

Kids need the basics, plus a little more.

The Office of the Children’s Commissioner engaged with over 6000 children and young people across Aotearoa New Zealand to find out what they think about the 2018’s ten-year Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy. Their answers were then compiled into postcards for the Prime Minister to read. The most common theme was that kids should have their basic needs met. As one child put it, “to have the basics plus a little bit more” [6].

In order for children to truly succeed, they need more than the basics. They need to be nurtured, empowered and given the opportunity to pursue their passions.

That’s where The Red Bow comes in. Our charity provides the resources and essentials needed to create a lasting impact on kids experiencing poverty, starting with those in New Zealand and Tonga. We partner with local community organisations, learning centres and service providers to understand the challenges faced by different kids and support them with meaningful solutions. This includes providing scholarships, extra tuition or funding to pursue a passion.

No child should leave school without being able to reap the benefits of a good education and valuable experiences. Education is a powerful tool for overcoming poverty. It gives children the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in society. A good education can lead to a world full of opportunities and empower kids to lift themselves out of hardship.

It’s a goal worth striving for, wouldn’t you say?

References

1. Retrieved from https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/apply-for-a-visa/about-visa/dependent-child-student-visa 23 September 2021

2. Retrieved from Megan Cook, ‘Private education – Private schools in New Zealand’, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/private-education/page-1
   Story by Megan Cook, published 20 Jun 2012

3. Retrieved from:
   - School Rolls | Education Counts
   - NZ stats
   - Figure Nz

4. Retrieved from https://www.childpoverty.org.nz/measures/food 1 April 2022

5. Burkett, L. (2014) Poverty in New Zealand; Who is most affected, what are the effects on students, and how can the issues be overcome? Kairaranga, 15/2 36-41

6. Retrieved from https://nzchildren.co.nz/ 1 April 2022