Why study in New Zealand ?
Why Study in NZ
| About NZ | Homestay
and Study in NZ | NZ Education System |
NZ High Schools |
From the comments of former students, the main attractions to New Zealand as a study destination are:
1. Friendliness The open, relaxed friendliness of the
average Kiwi (New Zealander) and the country's genuinely multi-racial nature.
Unlike Australia, which had a White Australia policy until the 1960s which
excluded non-European people from the country, and the US with its racial
violence, New Zealand has been a multiracial country with a high rate of
intermarriage right from the beginning of contact between Maori and European
and later Asian immigrants. New Zealanders are friendly, welcoming, love
travel and enjoy meeting people from other cultures. They always seem to
have the time for a yarn (chat), even to strangers, and are are famous for
their warm hospitality to overseas visitors.
2. Safety In the British tradition, New Zealand police
do not carry guns because they do not need to. Handguns are illegal
and there are no yakuza or mafia. Similarly, because there are no snakes
or other dangerous animals, New Zealand's wonderful outdoor opportunities
can be enjoyed in safety. A long established democracy, New Zealand offers
a safe and stable political environment to people from all ethnic and religious
backgrounds.
3. Cleanliness New Zealanders have often been leaders
in scientific progress, and with its low population density and high education
standards, New Zealand has managed to create a high standard of living without
heavy industry and the attendant pollution. Accordingly, the environment
is very clean and healthy.
4. Costs The cost of living is low, especially for housing and food, and this is reflected in low homestay, tuition and other costs for visiting students. In addition, because the Kiwi dollar's exchange rate is very favourable, currently about 50-55 yen to the dollar and because Kiwi College offers New Zealand homestay study programs on a non-profit basis, study in New Zealand is very cheap and time and cost effective.
5. High educational standards The educational philosophies of New Zealand and most Asian countries are different as they are designed to meet different goals. For example, the Japanese system is a rigid, high pressure and highly academic one, with the curriculum and pace of lessons being strongly dictated by the Mombusho, and is notable for rote learning and offering little in the way of choice as most subjects are compulsory.
The New Zealand system on the other hand is designed to produce thinking, educated citizens of a democracy who will have the knowledge and resources to continue learning for themselves. Accordingly, there is an increasing choice of subjects as they progress through the high school system. In Japan, classes are generally about twice the size of those in New Zealand and this does not allow for or encourage much in the way of student- teacher interaction. In New Zealand on the other hand, students are encouraged to ask questions such as "why" and "how" and otherwise interact with their teachers and to think for themselves. Similarly, while examinations in Japan are usually of the multiple choice type, in New Zealand they are more likely to take the form of a problem requiring a written answer.
International students can expect a high standard of education as the schools are well equipped and staff student ratios very good, with about 20-25 students per class being typical, and much lower at the senior levels. For example, all New Zealand schools have been fully equipped with computers since the 1980s from the primary school level up. In addition, English is the everyday language of New Zealanders and there is strong English language support for international students, either in the form of in-school ESOL (English as a Second Language) or other special programs.
Education at all levels in New Zealand offers an attractive and stimulating academic environment which is supported by excellent sporting, cultural and recreational facilities to help personality and character development which are important goals of the system, especially in the teenage years. People of all ages are encouraged to challenge themselves.
The educational
institutions are diverse in size and location and offer a wide range of
general and specialist courses. They are linked to other institutions which
offer special courses such as sailing and other outdoor activities which
are designed to build self confidence and character that comes from challenging
and overcoming obstacles.
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