Head of State

New Zealand’s head of State is the Sovereign, Queen Elizabeth II of New Zealand. The Governor-General is the Queen’s representative in New Zealand.

Constitutional arrangements

New Zealand has no single written constitution or any form of law that is higher than laws passed in Parliament. The rules about how our system of government works are contained in a number of Acts of Parliament, documents issued under the authority of the Queen, relevant English and United Kingdom Acts of Parliament, decisions of the court, and unwritten constitutional conventions.

Parliament

New Zealand’s Parliament consists of the Sovereign and the House of Representatives. The Sovereign’s role in Parliament includes opening and dissolving Parliament, and giving the Royal assent to bills passed in the House of Representatives.

New Zealand’s Parliament is unicameral. This means it has only one chamber (the House of Representatives) and there is no upper house such as a senate.

The House of Representatives consists of members of Parliament who are elected as the people’s representatives for a term of up to 3 years. The usual number of members of Parliament is 120, but there are electoral circumstances when this could vary.

Responsible government

‘Responsible government’ is the term used to describe a system where the Government is formed by appointing Ministers who must first be elected members of Parliament. It means that in New Zealand the Government can stay in power only while it has the support (‘confidence’) of the majority of House of Representatives. This support can be tested in a confidence vote, such as passing the Budget. Ministers are responsible to Parliament, both collectively for the overall performance of the Government, and individually for the performance of their portfolios.

Proportional representation electoral system

New Zealand’s House of Representatives is elected using the mixed member proportional representation (MMP) voting system. Each elector has two votes — one for a local member of Parliament and one for a preferred political party. Political parties are represented in Parliament in proportion to the share of votes each party won in the party vote in the general election.

25. Lecture 21-22

26. Plan:

27. 1. Education in New Zealand 

The educational system in New Zealand is extremely varied and is one of the best in the world. According to scores, it has the highest levels of literacy, mathematics, and sciences in the country. The public educational system is one of the best funded in the world; New Zealand offers the highest percentage of public funding in education in the world. Several indices rate New Zealand as the number one country in the world for education.

So what makes New Zealand so unique? What makes it different than all of the other developed countries that provide education to their children? It is based on several things; first, because New Zealand natives believe in giving everyone the education that they deserve. There are many private schools, but because the country is so great at giving their public schools the monies they need, many parents are just as happy using the public system.

The other reason is because the educational system focuses on both practical and academic achievement. Instead of sticking to a regimen that no one really understands and doesn’t really tell us anything, the New Zealand public education system focuses on being open-minded and letting children explore, thus allowing them to learn in the best way that they can. This gets them ready for college or the workplace upon finishing their secondary education.

Primary and Secondary Schools

Almost all primary and secondary schools have a set schedule, usually from 9 AM to 3:30 PM. They go to school throughout the year, with four different terms spread out evenly. The terms are as follows:

• Term 1: February to mid-April

• Term 2: Late April to early July

• Term 3: Mid July to late September

• Term 4: Mid October to mid-December

There is a two-week break between terms one and two, two and three, and three and four. Between term four and the following term 1, there is a 6 week summer break, lasting part of December and all of January.

There are three types of primary and secondary schools that you will see.

–          State-funded, or public, schools. These schools are free, with minor costs for books, school supplies, and uniforms (if they are used; most New Zealand schools have them). The school that a child attends is based on where they live

–          State-integrated religious schools. There are a number of schools that are religious in nature (Catholic) which have been integrated into the public school structure. These are, of course, options for those who wish for their children to have a religious education. These schools are free, with minor costs for books, school supplies, and uniforms.

–          Private schools cost anywhere from $4,000 to $28,000 a year. These may be religious, but they can also be more academically intense or provide options according to what a parent may want.

There are differences between primary and secondary school, but students must attend school from the age of 6 until they are 16. Here are some of the differences you will see.

–          Primary school. From ages 6 to 12, a child attends primary school. Most primary schools have 23 to 29 students per teacher, sometimes less if it is a private or state-integrated school. Primary schools may include preschool, but there are also preschools that work on their own. Preschool is not required.

–          Secondary school. Referred to as “high school” or “college,” secondary school has one teacher per 17 to 23 students; sometimes it is as low as 10 if it is a private or state-integrated school. Each secondary school uses a practical curriculum to help students get prepared for either the work world or higher education, and the curriculum is regulated by the Government’s Education Review Office. Some secondary schools will allow their senior students to take the Cambridge International Exam or the International Baccalaureate, which grant them credits and recognition in higher education programs worldwide.

Higher Education

Higher education is incredibly important, and we will explore it more in our sections that focus on the higher education systems. There are eight universities throughout the country, along with 18 technology institutions and over 600 training schools which help with specialized skills. Five of the universities in New Zealand are considered to be in the top 50 of the world’s universities according to the QS World Top 500 rankings. New Zealand is known for its business, technology, engineering, medicine, and biological sciences, and the schools are world class. The higher education program is subsidized by the New Zealand government for permanent residents.

Like you would expect from the Kiwis, New Zealand’s higher education system is also quite laid-back. Even though you have to meet vigorous requirements and have to do particular tasks in order to stay on a student visa, it is nowhere near as intense as going into an Ivy League school in New England or the Group of Eight in Australia. You will get a great education without the cost of your mental health in the process, which is a great advantage no matter who you are.