Tongan studetns who pass their final year secondary school examination can directly enter NZ education system. Photo: RNZ Pacific / Eleisha Foon
The New Zealand government has accepted Tongan students who pass the Tonga Form Seven National Examination to enroll directly into its education system, Tonga's Prime Minister Hu'akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni has confirmed.
Speaking at a press conference in Nuku'alofa on 5 January, Hu'akavameiliku said that its was great news and something that local students should take to heart and work on.
He said Auckland University previously offered enrollment to Tongan students who pass the Form 7 examination.
That has now been accepted by the New Zealand government, he said, adding it is the result of discussions held over the last 24 months.
He was updating the results of the Form 7 exams and congratulated students who have passed and thanked parents and teachers for the successful results.
Results released by the Ministry of Education shows that a 83 percent pass rate was achieved in 2023, which was an increase of 20 percent from the 63 percent in 2022.
The Niuafo'ou High School and Niuatoputapu High School jointly topped the local schools with a 100 percent pass rate, followed by Takuilau College on 92 percent, Tonga High School (91 percent) and Tonga College (89 percent).
Tonga College recorded the best improved result, scoring the 89 percent pass rate compared to 33 percent they had recorded in 2022.
Vava'u school Saint Peter Channel, which had students sitting the Form 7 exam for the first time last year, recorded a pass rate of 78 percent.
Hu'akavameiliku, who is also the Minister of Education and Training, said there were a lot of students who passed with distinctions - those that had a pass rate of with 83 percent or more.