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Bridging the Equality Gap Is the Biggest Challenge for Education in New Zealand

Bridging the Equality Gap Is the Biggest Challenge for Education in New Zealand
New Zealand Labour Party leader Jacinda Ardern takes a selfie with school children during a visit to Addington School, Christchurch, New Zealand, Aug. 16, 2017 (AP photo by Mark Baker).

Editor’s Note: This article is part of an ongoing series about education policy in various countries around the world.

New Zealand has produced a high-quality and decentralized education system, but its colonial past is still present in the disparities of achievement among students. Today, the descendants of white, European colonialists far exceed their indigenous Maori and Pasifika peers. In an email interview, Sarah Bolton, a 2017 Ian Axford fellow in public policy and Fulbright scholar examining educational inequality in New Zealand, explains the inherent opportunities and challenges facing the country’s schools and the importance New Zealand has placed on environmental education.

WPR: What is the state of the education system in New Zealand, and what are its biggest challenges?

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