Tag Archives: New Zealand

According to collegesanduniversitiesinusa, New Zealand has a long and rich history of education. The country’s first school was established in 1816 and since then, the education system has evolved to provide students with a world-class education. In 1877, the Education Act was passed, which provided for free and compulsory primary education for all children aged between 5 and 13. This ensured that all children had access to basic education regardless of their social or economic status. In 1889 technical schools were established to provide vocational training to those who wished to pursue a career in a specific trade or profession. In the 20th century, New Zealand’s educational system underwent several reforms, including the introduction of secondary schooling in 1901 and free secondary schooling in 1947. Further reforms were made in the early 2000s with the introduction of Charter Schools and Special Character Schools offering specialised curriculums such as Maori language teaching. University education also became more accessible with student loans becoming available for tertiary study from 1992 onwards. Today, New Zealand boasts an impressive educational system which is consistently ranked highly on international comparisons such as PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment). The country’s commitment to providing quality education for all its citizens has resulted in high levels of literacy and numeracy among its population as well as high educational attainment levels at both primary and secondary level. New Zealand in 2009 was a vibrant and diverse country with a population of just over 4.3 million people. It had experienced significant growth in recent years and was continuing to develop its infrastructure, economy, and culture. The country was made up of two main islands, the North Island and the South Island, as well as several smaller islands such as Stewart Island and the Chatham Islands. Politically, New Zealand was a stable democracy with a strong commitment to human rights. The government had adopted an independent foreign policy since the end of World War II, which had enabled it to build strong relationships with many countries around the world. In 2009, New Zealand signed the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights and also joined the United Nations Security Council for two years (2010-2012). Economically, New Zealand’s economy was growing rapidly in 2009 due to increased investment from overseas companies as well as its expanding tourism industry. The country’s GDP per capita was one of the highest among OECD countries and unemployment rates were low at 4%. Culturally, New Zealanders were known for their laid-back attitude towards life and their passion for sports such as rugby union. Maori culture continued to be an important part of life in New Zealand with traditional knowledge being shared through language classes and cultural events such as powhiri (welcome ceremonies). The arts also played an important role in society with music festivals such as WOMAD (World of Music Arts & Dance) being held annually throughout the country. Check militarynous for New Zealand Military.

New Zealand Culture

Indigenous traditions and influences of European and Asian ethnic groups merged into the multicultural society of New Zealand. The Māori language and culture have received sustained promotion since the 1970s and are now ubiquitous in the media and everyday life. Christian festivals as well as ANZAC Day and Waitangi Day are the most important holidays.… Read More »

New Zealand Overview

New Zealand Official language English, Maori Capital Wellington Form of government Parliamentary republic Area 270,686 km² Residents 4,050,000 Currency New Zealand dollar Time zone NZST ** = UTC + 12 (April ¨C September)NZDT ** = UTC + 13 (October ¨C March) License Plate NZ Internet TLD .nz Telephone area code 0064 (Source: ALLCITYCODES) Geography Parliamentary… Read More »