The Education Act 1877 established twelve regional Education Boards in
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
after the
provinces
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman '' provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
were abolished and the central government took control of education. The act established that education would be free, compulsory, and secular for
Pākehā
Pākehā (or Pakeha; ; ) is a Māori term for New Zealanders primarily of European descent. Pākehā is not a legal concept and has no definition under New Zealand law. The term can apply to fair-skinned persons, or to any non- Māori New Z ...
children aged five to thirteen.
History
Education had previously been the responsibility of provincial governments. Through the Abolition of Provinces Act 1875, the provinces ceased to exist on 1 January 1877. The Canterbury education system developed by
William Rolleston
William Rolleston (19 September 1831 – 8 February 1903) was a New Zealand politician, public administrator, educationalist and Canterbury provincial superintendent.
Early life
Rolleston was born on 19 September 1831 at Maltby, Yorkshire as th ...
was used as an exemplar for the Education Act 1877, and under Rolleston's guidance,
Charles Bowen helped form the legislation. The act passed into law on 29 November 1877
and came into operation on 1 January 1878.
The Education Act 1877 was repealed through the Education Acts Compilation Act 1904, also known under its short title "The Education Act, 1904", and passed into law on 4 November 1904.
Effects
The act established that education would be free, compulsory, and secular for
Pākehā
Pākehā (or Pakeha; ; ) is a Māori term for New Zealanders primarily of European descent. Pākehā is not a legal concept and has no definition under New Zealand law. The term can apply to fair-skinned persons, or to any non- Māori New Z ...
children aged five to thirteen. Compulsory primary school education for
Māori children did not become law until 1894.
Compulsory education did not happen in practice. Especially in rural areas, children often helped with tasks at home rather than attend school.
Education Boards
The act established a tiered administration system. At the top, the
Department of Education
An education ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for education. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and Ministry of Pub ...
established the curriculum and provided funding to twelve education boards (Auckland, Taranaki, Wanganui, Wellington, Hawke's Bay, Marlborough, Nelson, N & S Canterbury, Westland, Otago and Southland).
Each of the boards in turn funded a school committee responsible for individual schools.
See also
*
History of education in New Zealand
The development of state education in New Zealand has been shaped by social and political interactions between Māori as tangata whenua of the land, missionaries, settlers, voluntary organisations and those charged with consolidating central st ...
References
{{Reflist
External links
Education Recordsfrom
Archives New Zealand
Archives New Zealand (Māori: ''Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga'') is New Zealand's national archive and the official guardian of its public archives. As the government's recordkeeping authority, it administers the Public Records Act 2005 and ...
History of education in New Zealand
Education law
1877 in New Zealand law
Statutes of New Zealand
1877 in law
Repealed New Zealand legislation
1877 in education