This page compares the education systems of Indonesia and New Zealand.
Education System Overview
| Category | Indonesia | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| System Type | Mixed public/private system with decentralized school delivery. National ministries establish curriculum, standards and policy, while provincial and district governments manage much of public-school provision. Religious and private providers operate alongside the state sector. | Public/private mix; mixed governance. National legislation, funding and curriculum settings are combined with governance by individual state-school boards. [Ministry of Education] |
| Governing Body | Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) for general school education; Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) for the madrasah system; and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemdiktisaintek) for higher education. | Ministry of Education; Education Review Office (ERO); New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA); Tertiary Education Commission (TEC). From 1 September 2026, ERO regulates early childhood education licensing and certification, private-school registration and school-hostel licensing, while the Ministry retains state-school regulation, policy, funding and curriculum responsibilities. [Ministry of Education] |
| Government Expenditure on Education (% of GDP) | 1.3% of GDP in 2023, the latest value in the World Bank/UNESCO UIS series. [World Bank] | 5.2% (2023). [World Bank] |
Education Structure & Compulsory Schooling
| Category | Indonesia | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Compulsory Age Range | The established statutory basic-education requirement covers approximately ages 7–15. National policy is expanding access toward 13 years of education, including one preschool year and education through senior secondary level. [Kemendikdasmen] | 6 to 16 years. Most children begin school at age 5. [Ministry of Education] |
| Total Compulsory Duration (Years) | 9 years under the established statutory basic-education requirement. The government's 13-year education policy extends the policy target to one year of preschool, six years of primary, three years of junior secondary and three years of senior secondary education. [Kemendikdasmen] | 10 years. [Ministry of Education] |
| Pre-primary Education (ECE) Access | ECE remains outside the established nine-year statutory requirement, while the 13-year policy prioritizes one preschool year before primary school. Gross PAUD participation was approximately 36.2% in 2025; this indicator covers the broader PAUD population rather than only children aged 3–5. | Optional. In 2025, 77% of 3-year-olds and 83% of 4-year-olds attended ECE for at least 10 hours per week; 96.8% of children participated in ECE during the six months before starting school. [Education Counts] |
| Primary + Secondary Education Structure (Years) | 6 + 3 + 3: six years of primary education, three years of junior secondary education and three years of general or vocational senior secondary education. Some vocational programs operate for four years. | 8 + 5 years: Years 1–8 primary/intermediate and Years 9–13 secondary, across 13 school year levels. [Ministry of Education] |
| Vocational vs. General Upper Secondary Split (%) | Approximately 33.5% vocational / 66.5% general, based on 2024/25 upper-secondary enrollment across vocational and general/religious pathways. | — |
Academic Calendar & Instruction Time
| Category | Indonesia | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Academic Year Start (Typical Month) | July, with exact dates set through provincial and local education calendars. | February; for 2026, Term 1 could begin between 26 January and 9 February. [Ministry of Education] |
| Academic Year End (Typical Month) | June, with regional variation. | December; schools in 2026 must finish no later than 18 December. [Ministry of Education] |
| Instruction Weeks per Year | Approximately 36 effective instructional weeks; the exact requirement varies by school level, regional calendar and program. | — |
| Instruction Days per Year | — | — |
Grading System
| Category | Indonesia | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Primary/Secondary Grading Scale | No single mandatory national A–F or fixed numerical passing scale. Schools use learning-achievement criteria, including KKTP, with numerical results, descriptors, rubrics and competency evidence used according to school and subject assessment arrangements. | No single national numerical grading scale applies across Years 1–13. NCEA achievement standards use Not Achieved (N), Achieved (A), Merit (M), Excellence (E). [NZQA] |
| Higher Education Grading Scale | Institution-specific. A 4.00 GPA scale with letter grades is widely used; individual universities determine grade boundaries and intermediate grades. | — |
Language of Instruction
| Category | Indonesia | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Instruction Languages (K–12) | Bahasa Indonesia is the principal national language of instruction. Regional languages may support instruction in early education where appropriate. | English; te reo Māori in Māori-medium education. Māori-medium education enrolled 28,382 students, or 3.3% of the school population, in 2025. [Education Counts] |
| Other Official / Minority Instruction Languages (K–12) | Regional and local languages may be used as supporting instructional languages. English is primarily taught as a foreign language and is scheduled to become a compulsory primary-school subject from the 2027/28 academic year. [Kemendikdasmen] | Pacific languages are used in some bilingual and immersion provision. [Education Counts] |
School Provision & Access (K–12)
| Category | Indonesia | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Public School Enrollment Share (K–12, % of Students) | Approximately 66.5% across primary through senior-secondary education in 2024/25, based on official enrollment totals by school status. Public-school shares differ considerably by education level. | 95.98% in state and state-integrated schools as at 1 July 2025. [Education Counts] |
| Public School Tuition Fee (Annual, Local Currency) | $0 tuition for compulsory basic education in government schools. Families may still face permitted ancillary costs or locally administered charges outside standard tuition. | $0 tuition for eligible domestic students at state schools; other costs such as uniforms, stationery and trips may apply. [Ministry of Education] |
| Public Schools Nationwide Availability | Yes. Public primary and secondary schools operate across Indonesia's provinces and districts, complemented by the public religious-school network. | Yes. State and state-integrated schools operate nationwide, with local enrolment schemes used by some schools. [Ministry of Education] |
| Private School Enrollment Share (K–12, % of Students) | Approximately 33.5% across primary through senior-secondary education in 2024/25, based on official student totals by school status. | 3.99% in fully registered private schools as at 1 July 2025. [Education Counts] |
| Private Schools (Geographic Concentration) | Nationwide, with substantial private, foundation and religious-school provision in densely populated and urban areas. | — |
International Schools (K–12)
| Category | Indonesia | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Number of International Schools (Total) | — | — |
| Number of IB World Schools | 81 IB World Schools currently offer at least one IB programme in Indonesia. [IB] | 20. [IB] |
| Main International Programmes Offered | International Baccalaureate (IB), Cambridge International, British, American, Australian, Singaporean and other school-specific international or bilingual curricula. | IB Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme and Diploma Programme; Cambridge Primary, Lower Secondary, IGCSE and International AS & A Level. [IB] [Cambridge International] |
Resources & Learning Environment (K–12)
| Category | Indonesia | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Teacher Qualification (Public Schools) | A minimum academic qualification of S-1 bachelor's degree or D-IV applied bachelor's level is the national professional benchmark, alongside teacher-certification requirements for eligible professional teachers. | Approved Initial Teacher Education qualification, Teaching Council registration and a current practising certificate. [Teaching Council] |
| Average Class Size (Primary) | Approximately 21 students per class group in the latest nationally published comparable primary dataset. | — |
| Average Class Size (Lower Secondary) | Approximately 28 students per class group in the latest nationally published junior-secondary dataset. | — |
| Average Class Size (Upper Secondary) | Approximately 30 students overall as an indicative upper-secondary figure; general senior-secondary classes average about 32 students while vocational classes are closer to 27. | — |
System Performance & Learning Outcomes (OECD/PISA)
| Category | Indonesia | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| PISA Participation Years | 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2022, 2025. Indonesia's first assessment was conducted in 2001 through the PISA 2000 Plus administration. [OECD] | 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2022, 2025. [OECD] |
| PISA 2018 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science) | 379 / 371 / 396. | 494 / 506 / 508. [OECD] |
| PISA 2022 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science) | 366 / 359 / 383. [OECD] | 479 / 501 / 504. [OECD] |
| PISA 2025 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science) | 364 / 365 / 389. [Kemendikdasmen] | 480 / 497 / 509. [Education Counts] |
| PISA Performance Trend 2000–2025 | Indonesia's raw scores changed from 366 / 359 / 383 in 2022 to 364 / 365 / 389 in 2025 for mathematics, reading and science respectively. OECD analysis finds the 2022–2025 changes statistically about the same in all three subjects. Results in 2025 remained below Indonesia's 2015 performance. [OECD] | Reading in 2022 remained below results observed in 2000–2009, while mathematics and science declined over 2012–2022. In 2025, mathematics and reading were similar to 2022; the 2025 science score was not statistically different from New Zealand's 2012–2022 science scores. [OECD] [Education Counts] |
| Strongest Subject Area (PISA 2025) | Science — 389 points. [Kemendikdasmen] | Science — 509. [Education Counts] |
Higher Education System
| Category | Indonesia | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Higher Education Institutions (Total) | 4,303 institutions in the 2025 national higher-education statistics. [Kemdiktisaintek] | — |
| Number of Universities (Research Universities) | 981 institutions classified as Universitas. Indonesia does not publish a separate statutory category specifically named “research universities.” [Kemdiktisaintek] | 8. [Universities NZ] |
| Number of Universities of Applied Sciences / Colleges | The 2025 statistics record 2,885 college/applied institution types: 2,000 Sekolah Tinggi, 389 polytechnics, 465 academies and 31 community academies. Indonesia does not use a single “university of applied sciences” category. [Kemdiktisaintek] | 10 stand-alone polytechnics operating from 1 January 2026; four additional polytechnic business divisions remained within NZIST during the 2026 transition. [TEC] [TEC] |
| Main Institution Types | Universities, institutes, Sekolah Tinggi, polytechnics, academies and community academies. [Kemdiktisaintek] | Universities; polytechnics and institutes of technology; wānanga; private training establishments; government training establishments. [NZQA] |
| Tertiary Enrollment Share by Ownership | Public/government-managed: approximately 50.3% | private-managed: approximately 49.7% of registered students in 2025. The official breakdown is 40.99% PTN, 7.17% public religious institutions and 2.18% government-service institutions versus 44.95% PTS and 4.71% private religious institutions. [Kemdiktisaintek] | 85.5% public providers / 14.5% private training establishments by EFTS in 2025. [Education Counts] |
| English-Taught Degree Programmes (Bachelor + Master, Total) | — | — |
| Share of Tertiary Programmes Taught in National Languages (%) | — | — |
| Share of Tertiary Programmes Taught in English (%) | — | — |
| Main Global Ranking Used | QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] | QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] |
| Universities in Top 100 (Selected Ranking) | 0 Indonesian universities in the global top 100 of the QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] | 1 — University of Auckland (#67), QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] |
| Universities in Top 500 (Selected Ranking) | 7 Indonesian universities in the global top 500 of the QS World University Rankings 2027; Universitas Padjadjaran entered the top 500 at #496. [QS] | 8, QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] |
| Universities in Top 1000 (Selected Ranking) | 12 Indonesian universities in the global top 1000 of the QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] | 8, QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] |
| National Accreditation / QA Agency (Higher Education) | BAN-PT (National Accreditation Agency for Higher Education), complemented by discipline-specific Independent Accreditation Agencies (LAM). Accreditation processes continued their transition to the SAPTO 2.0 system during 2026. [BAN-PT] | NZQA quality-assures non-university tertiary providers. Universities New Zealand — Te Pōkai Tara is the statutory body responsible for quality assurance of the eight universities, with institutional review carried out through Matatāhuna-Universities Quality Assurance Agency. [NZQA] [Universities NZ] |
| International Students (Total) | 8,050 foreign students were studying in Indonesian higher education institutions at the end of 2025. [Kemdiktisaintek] | 59,890 tertiary students in 2025. [Education Counts] |
| International Students Share of Total Tertiary Enrollment (%) | Approximately 0.07%, based on 8,050 foreign students and 10,754,154 registered tertiary students in 2025. [Kemdiktisaintek] | 15.2% of tertiary headcount in 2025 (59,890 of 395,095 students). [Education Counts] |
Education Costs (Indicative)
| Category | Indonesia | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Public University Tuition Fees – Domestic / Regional (Annual, Local Currency) | A representative 2026/27 regular undergraduate UKT range at Universitas Indonesia is approximately $57–$1,590 per year, converted from IDR 500,000–14,000,000 per semester. Fees vary by institution, program and assigned contribution tier, and some programs charge more. [Universitas Indonesia] | 2026 University of Auckland full-time undergraduate reference range: $4,321–$11,081, converted from published NZD 7,616.40–19,531.20 fees using the 23 September 2026 NZD/USD exchange rate; Student Services Fee excluded. [University of Auckland] |
| Public University Tuition Fees – International / Non-EU (Annual, Local Currency) | Indicative foreign-student bachelor's tuition at Universitas Gadjah Mada is approximately $2,840–$5,280 per year, converted from IDR 25–46.5 million per semester. One-time institutional development fees are additional and vary by program. [UGM] | 2026 University of Auckland full-time undergraduate reference range: $22,821–$49,110, converted from published NZD 40,225–86,561 fees using the 23 September 2026 NZD/USD exchange rate; Student Services Fee excluded. [University of Auckland] |
| Typical Tuition Fees for English-Taught Programmes (Annual, Local Currency) | Indicative public-university international or English-medium programs are approximately $1,760–$5,280 per year in current ITB postgraduate and UGM international undergraduate examples, excluding one-time charges and partner-university costs. [ITB] | — |
| Language School Costs (Monthly, Local Currency) | Approximately $200–$225 per month equivalent for UGM's 2026 INCULS regular Indonesian-language program, based on IDR 13,692,300 for a 15–17 week semester. [UGM] | — |
Major Education Updates & Policy Changes
| Category | Indonesia | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| 2000–2010: Key Updates & Reforms | ||
| 2010–2020: Key Updates & Reforms | ||
| 2020–2024: Key Updates & Reforms | ||
| 2025–2026: Key Updates & Reforms |
General Overview (Narrative)
| Category | Indonesia | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | Indonesia has a large public/private education system in which national ministries set curriculum and standards while provincial and district authorities manage much of school delivery. The standard structure consists of six years of primary, three years of junior secondary and three years of senior secondary education, with both general and vocational pathways. The statutory basic-education requirement remains nine years, while national policy is expanding access toward a 13-year model that includes one preschool year and education through senior secondary level. Public schools educate about two-thirds of primary and secondary students, alongside a large private and religious-school sector. Bahasa Indonesia is the main language of instruction. In PISA 2025, Indonesia scored 364 in mathematics, 365 in reading and 389 in science; OECD found no statistically clear change from 2022 in the three subjects. Higher education included 4,303 institutions and 10.75 million registered students in 2025. Current changes include deeper-learning approaches, optional Coding and AI subjects, TKA implementation and continued expansion of the 13-year education policy. | New Zealand has a public/private education system with national legislation, funding and curriculum settings alongside local governance by state-school boards. The Ministry of Education retains responsibility for policy, funding, curriculum and state-school regulation, while ERO carries review functions and, from September 2026, specified regulatory duties for ECE, private schools and school hostels. Schooling is compulsory from ages 6 to 16, although most children begin at age 5. The 13 school year levels comprise Years 1–8 primary/intermediate and Years 9–13 secondary; ECE is non-compulsory. Most students attend state or state-integrated schools. English and te reo Māori are the main curriculum languages, and NCEA is the main senior secondary qualification. In PISA 2025, New Zealand scored 480 in mathematics, 497 in reading and 509 in science. Tertiary education includes eight universities, polytechnics, wānanga and private training establishments. In 2025, tertiary headcount was 395,095, including 59,890 international students. Current structural changes include the charter-school model operating from 2025, the redesigned VET system operating from January 2026 and the September 2026 transfer of specified regulatory functions to ERO. |