History of education in New Zealand

The ideas for education in New Zealand developed from mass education. Mass education was not part of the ideas of the enlightenment.

Origins of Primary school

The passing of the education act 1877 established New Zealand's first free national system of primary education. Before then children attended a school governed by the provincial government or a church school, or private school. However, many children did not attend school, especially those from rural areas where labour was more important. The quality of education varied widely amongst those providing it. The education act passed in 1877 sought to establish standards of quality of education, and reduce the secular influence on education. It became compulsory for children from ages 7 to 14 to attend primary school.

Origins of Secondary school

By 1900, fewer than 10 percent of New Zealand’s population went to secondary school, but this was not free education. Most who attended secondary school headed to university and the professions. In the late 19th and 20th centuries there was more need for labouring jobs than academic or educational qualifications. Then as the country grew, so did the need for skilled tradespeople and administrators, and the secondary sector also expanded.

The 1914 education act required all secondary schools to offer free education to all those who passed a Proficiency examination. By 1917, 37 percent of the population went to secondary school.

Just as mass primary education had been created to provide industry with workers, the secondary sector expanded to satisfy the needs of the economy. However, they ran along the lines of the English grammar school system, and offered a traditional curriculum. This was suitable for those attending university, but did not suit those with other goals. It continues to exert a strong influence on secondary schools today.

Introduction of technical high schools

An attempt to address this was made early in the 20th century by introducing technical high schools. They offered a more “practical” and “relevant” curriculum than traditional grammar schools. The idea was not a success, and the traditional schools took a scornful attitude to those attending technical high schools. Many parents believed that secondary schools should provide a pathway for those entering high-status professions, and to have a better life. The two systems were intended to be equal in status, but ended up being run along class lines.

The Thomas Report, 1944

In the 1930’s another attempt was made to address an egalitarian education system. The unpopular technical high schools, led to an important document called the Thomas report of 1944. It set out to address the concerns of the curriculum, and was to remain in place for the following fifty years. It introduced school certificate, and abolished a Matriculation, replacing it with University Entrance. The main contribution of this report was a common, core curriculum that provided an education for all. The material was to be drawn from both practical and academic strands, with the added aim of catering for students of widely differing abilities, interests, and backgrounds. This was to be compulsory up to the end of form 4. But schools resisted the reforms by streaming students into different ability classes as measured by IQ, and giving these classes different versions of the core curriculum.

Recent developments

In the 1980s, New Zealand education underwent more major reforms. Early in the decade, the government called for a review of the curriculum. This information was collected but the public’s ideas were not used. Instead, it was overtaken by reforms that addressed the administration of education. Two major reports appeared. The first, Administering for Excellence was written by a group of people drawn from industry. Their ideas were used to provide the basis for a business model of education, inline with a strong neo-liberal agenda that swept New Zealand. The report became known as the Picot report after its leader, Brian Picot, a supermarket magnate. The second report called Tomorrow Schools was the Ministers blueprint for the process. The government replaced the Department of Education with a ministry, and turned schools into autonomous entities, managed by boards of trustees. This arrangement is in place today in all schools in New Zealand.

Curriculum reforms were finally completed in the 1990s that updated what was taught in schools for the 21st century.

References

"Catching the Knowledge Wave?", Gilbert, J. 2005, NZCER Press