The truth about zoning - it's on the rise

Minister of Education Trevor Mallard said recently that the number of schools with enrolment schemes (or zones) was not increasing. Other government figures show it is. So, what is really going on?

Although the 474 zoned schools today is lower than the 495 in 1999, the trend since 2000, when the Education Minister's scheme took effect, has been going in one direction - up.

Each year the number of schools with zones has increased - from 320 in 2000 to 474 in 2004.

Every region has increasing numbers of enrolment schemes except Auckland.

Official data show the proportion of schools with enrolment schemes (more commonly known as zoning) increased between 2002 and 2003 from:

• 3.8 to 20 percent in Nelson/Marlborough/Tasman
• 4 to 17.5 percent in Hawkes Bay
• 1.9 to 10.8 percent in Southland
• 5.3 to 14 percent in the Bay of Plenty
• 9.8 to 17.1 percent in Wellington.

Education Forum policy advisor Norman LaRocque said the figures, from the Ministry of Education's recently-released Report on the Compulsory Schools Sector in New Zealand 2003, understated the true impact of enrolment schemes. The proportion of enrolments in schools with enrolment schemes was likely to be much higher because 'zoned' schools were more likely to have higher enrolments.

National Party education spokesman Bill English said Labour's zoning laws had reduced choice in education.

“The rigid restrictions mean successful schools are not allowed to expand until every classroom in the local area is full. This means the worst-performing schools set the pace.

“Parents are in a much better position than the Minister of Education to know what's best for their children – they want to choose what school their children attend.”

An Education Forum briefing paper on enrolment schemes in New Zealand.