ABSTRACT
The education and training of early childhood, primary, and secondary teachers in New Zealand (Aotearoa in Maori) is complex to say the least. Courses are provided in a variety of institutional settings, some of which are monopurpose but most with diverse roles; the courses are consecutive in some instances, concurrent in others, of differing lengths, and may be shortened for people with prior learning experience deemed relevant to teaching (e.g., fluent speakers of the Maori language). All state teacher education institutions have links with universities; some are tenuous and others are more formalised. In addition to all this, the system is in a state of flux because a recently established organisation, the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA), is moving towards an accreditation of the programme through a set of standard units, which may be delivered by different institutions. And, with the deregulation of what was formerly a state responsibility, it is now open to the free market. The first private provider, Bethlehem College, which offered interdenominational Bible-based programmes, opened its doors in 1994.
