This page compares the education systems of Singapore and New Zealand.
Education System Overview
| Category | Singapore | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| System Type | Public-led system; centralized governance under the Ministry of Education, with government, government-aided, autonomous, independent, specialized and private providers. [Singapore MOE] | 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 Education (MOE), Singapore, which oversees national education policy, schools and publicly funded post-secondary institutions. [Singapore MOE] | 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) | 2.2% (2024). [World Bank] | 5.2% (2023). [World Bank] |
Education Structure & Compulsory Schooling
| Category | Singapore | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Compulsory Age Range | For Singapore Citizen children residing in Singapore, compulsory education applies from above age 6 until below age 15, with the legal obligation centered on primary education. [Singapore MOE] | 6 to 16 years. Most children begin school at age 5. [Ministry of Education] |
| Total Compulsory Duration (Years) | 6 years of primary education, from Primary 1 to Primary 6. [Singapore MOE] | 10 years. [Ministry of Education] |
| Pre-primary Education (ECE) Access | Optional; official early-childhood data reported preschool participation of about 9 in 10 children aged 3–4 in 2021, with participation higher at ages 5–6. [ECDA] | 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 + 4 for the typical primary-to-secondary route. Selected Integrated Programme pathways span six years across secondary and pre-university education. Under Full Subject-Based Banding, students take secondary subjects at G1, G2 or G3 levels rather than being placed in Express, Normal (Academic) or Normal (Technical) streams. [Singapore MOE] | 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 (%) | — | — |
Academic Calendar & Instruction Time
| Category | Singapore | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Academic Year Start (Typical Month) | January. [Singapore MOE] | February; for 2026, Term 1 could begin between 26 January and 9 February. [Ministry of Education] |
| Academic Year End (Typical Month) | November. [Singapore MOE] | December; schools in 2026 must finish no later than 18 December. [Ministry of Education] |
| Instruction Weeks per Year | Approximately 40 weeks, organized across four school terms. [Singapore MOE] | — |
| Instruction Days per Year | — | — |
Grading System
| Category | Singapore | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Primary/Secondary Grading Scale | PSLE subjects use Achievement Levels AL1–AL8. Secondary assessment varies by subject level under Full Subject-Based Banding; the Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate will replace the separate N- and O-Level certificates from 2027. [Singapore MOE] | 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; for example, the National University of Singapore uses a 5.0 GPA scale, while grading systems may differ among other institutions. [NUS] | — |
Language of Instruction
| Category | Singapore | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Instruction Languages (K–12) | English is the main medium of instruction in national schools, apart from Mother Tongue Language subjects. [Singapore MOE] | 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) | Chinese, Malay and Tamil are the main Mother Tongue Languages taught in schools. [Singapore MOE] | Pacific languages are used in some bilingual and immersion provision. [Education Counts] |
School Provision & Access (K–12)
| Category | Singapore | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Public School Enrollment Share (K–12, % of Students) | — | 95.98% in state and state-integrated schools as at 1 July 2025. [Education Counts] |
| Public School Tuition Fee (Annual, Local Currency) | $0 school fee for Singapore Citizens attending government and government-aided primary schools; fees at other levels and for non-citizens vary by school level and nationality. [Singapore MOE] | $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; government and government-aided schools operate across Singapore. [Singapore MOE] | 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) | — | 3.99% in fully registered private schools as at 1 July 2025. [Education Counts] |
| Private Schools (Geographic Concentration) | — | — |
International Schools (K–12)
| Category | Singapore | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Number of International Schools (Total) | — | — |
| Number of IB World Schools | — | 20. [IB] |
| Main International Programmes Offered | International Baccalaureate (IB), Cambridge/UK curricula, American curricula and French curricula are offered by different international schools. | 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 | Singapore | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Teacher Qualification (Public Schools) | MOE teachers complete an approved initial teacher-preparation route through the National Institute of Education (NIE). Routes include the Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) for degree holders and specified diploma or degree programmes for other teaching levels and subjects. [NIE] | Approved Initial Teacher Education qualification, Teaching Council registration and a current practising certificate. [Teaching Council] |
| Average Class Size (Primary) | 33.8 students per form class (2024). [Singapore MOE] | — |
| Average Class Size (Lower Secondary) | Secondary 1: 33.6 students; Secondary 2: 33.4 students per form class (2024). [Singapore MOE] | — |
| Average Class Size (Upper Secondary) | Secondary 3: 34.2; Secondary 4: 32.9; Secondary 5: 13.7 students per form class (2024). [Singapore MOE] | — |
System Performance & Learning Outcomes (OECD/PISA)
| Category | Singapore | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| PISA Participation Years | 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2022, 2025. [OECD] | 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2022, 2025. [OECD] |
| PISA 2018 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science) | 569 / 549 / 551 [OECD] | 494 / 506 / 508. [OECD] |
| PISA 2022 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science) | 575 / 543 / 561 [OECD] | 479 / 501 / 504. [OECD] |
| PISA 2025 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science) | 563 / 535 / 560 [OECD] | 480 / 497 / 509. [Education Counts] |
| PISA Performance Trend 2000–2025 | Singapore first participated in 2009. Between 2022 and 2025, mathematics and reading performance was lower, while science performance was about the same. Over the longer period, science performance increased, while mathematics and reading remained relatively stable despite the recent declines. [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) | Mathematics — 563 points. [OECD] | Science — 509. [Education Counts] |
Higher Education System
| Category | Singapore | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Higher Education Institutions (Total) | — | — |
| Number of Universities (Research Universities) | 6 publicly funded Autonomous Universities: National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Management University, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore Institute of Technology and Singapore University of Social Sciences. Singapore also has the Government-supported private University of the Arts Singapore. [Singapore MOE] | 8. [Universities NZ] |
| Number of Universities of Applied Sciences / Colleges | 5 polytechnics: Nanyang Polytechnic, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Republic Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic and Temasek Polytechnic. [Singapore MOE] | 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 | Autonomous Universities; University of the Arts Singapore and its constituent arts institutions; polytechnics; Institute of Technical Education (ITE); and private education institutions. [Singapore MOE] | Universities; polytechnics and institutes of technology; wānanga; private training establishments; government training establishments. [NZQA] |
| Tertiary Enrollment Share by Ownership | — | 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) | 2 — National University of Singapore (#10) and Nanyang Technological University (#12) in QS 2027. [QS] | 1 — University of Auckland (#67), QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] |
| Universities in Top 500 (Selected Ranking) | 4 — National University of Singapore (#10), Nanyang Technological University (#12), Singapore University of Technology and Design (#266) and Singapore Management University (#=411) in QS 2027. [QS] | 8, QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] |
| Universities in Top 1000 (Selected Ranking) | 4 in QS 2027. [QS] | 8, QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] |
| National Accreditation / QA Agency (Higher Education) | — | 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) | — | 59,890 tertiary students in 2025. [Education Counts] |
| International Students Share of Total Tertiary Enrollment (%) | — | 15.2% of tertiary headcount in 2025 (59,890 of 395,095 students). [Education Counts] |
Education Costs (Indicative)
| Category | Singapore | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Public University Tuition Fees – Domestic / Regional (Annual, Local Currency) | For 2026 entrants, subsidized common undergraduate programmes at NTU cost Singapore Citizens about $6,550 USD annually based on the published S$8,300 fee; programme-specific fees may be higher. [NTU] | 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) | At NTU for 2026 entrants, subsidized common undergraduate programmes cost about $14,240 USD annually for ASEAN international students and $16,890 USD for other international students; published non-subsidized common-program fees are higher. [NTU] | 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) | — | — |
| Language School Costs (Monthly, Local Currency) | — | — |
Major Education Updates & Policy Changes
| Category | Singapore | 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 | Singapore | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | Singapore operates a centrally governed education system under the Ministry of Education, with government and government-aided schools forming the main public network alongside autonomous, independent, specialized and private providers. Compulsory education applies to Singapore Citizen children residing in the country and centers on the six-year primary cycle. Students typically progress from six years of primary school to four years of secondary education. Full Subject-Based Banding, implemented across secondary schools from the 2024 Secondary 1 cohort, allows students to take subjects at G1, G2 or G3 levels instead of being assigned to the former Express or Normal streams. English is the main medium of instruction, while Chinese, Malay and Tamil are taught as Mother Tongue Languages. In PISA 2025, Singapore scored 563 in mathematics, 535 in reading and 560 in science, with mathematics its highest-scoring core domain. Post-secondary routes include junior colleges, Millennia Institute, five polytechnics, ITE, six publicly funded Autonomous Universities and the University of the Arts Singapore. Recent changes include the removal of mid-year examinations across primary, secondary and junior college levels from 2025, expanded targeted support across 157 schools in 2026 and completion of the transition of Nitec courses to the three-year Higher Nitec structure by Academic Year 2026. | 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. |