School students learning Pacific languages in the Wellington Region, New Zealand
As at 1 July 2000–2025, number of students
| Year as at 1 July | Number of students |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 684 |
| 2001 | 666 |
| 2002 | 565 |
| 2003 | 613 |
| 2004 | 781 |
| 2005 | 539 |
| 2006 | 745 |
| 2007 | 863 |
| 2008 | 655 |
| 2009 | 1,163 |
| 2010 | 958 |
| 2011 | 951 |
| 2012 | 1,053 |
| 2013 | 814 |
| 2014 | 749 |
| 2015 | 694 |
| 2016 | 830 |
| 2017 | 955 |
| 2018 | 550 |
| 2019 | 679 |
| 2020 | 1,209 |
| 2021 | 1,755 |
| 2022 | 877 |
| 2023 | 733 |
| 2024 | 854 |
| 2025 | 735 |
Definitions
Pacific medium education is where a Pacific language is the medium of instruction for more than 3 hours a week (12% of typical classroom time). Pacific medium education is measured at four levels: Level 1: 81-100% of the time, Level 2: 51-80% of the time, Level 3: 31-50% of the time, and Level 4: 12-30% of the time.
Pacific language as a separate subject is where students are learning a Pacific language as a separate subject at the Primary level (Years 1-8) for a minimum of 15 hours a year or at secondary level (Years 9-15) for a minimum of 20 hours a year.
Level of Learning describes students being taught at different levels of Pacific instruction. Each level is defined by the proportion of time the student is taught using a Pacific Language.
Level 1: 81-100%: Pacific language is the medium of instruction for 81-100% of the time (20+ hours per week)
Level 2: 51-80%: Pacific language is the medium of instruction for 51-80% of the time (12.5 - 20 hours per week)
Level 3: 31-50%: Pacific language is the medium of instruction for 31-50% of the time (7.5 - 12.5 hours per week)
Level 4: 12-30%: Pacific language is the medium of instruction for 12-30% of the time (3 - 7.5 hours per week)
Level 5: As a separate subject - is where students are learning a Pacific language as a separate subject, at the Primary level (Years 1-8) for a minimum of 15 hours a year or at secondary level (Years 9-15) for a minimum of 20 hours a year.
Changes to data collection/processing
Primary school data for ‘Pacific Language Level 5: As a separate subject’ is populated through a supplementary survey.
In 2020 there was an increased response rate of the supplementary survey which has resulted in an increased number of students at this level.
Data provided by
Dataset name
Pacific Language Learning: Pacific Time Series Tables 2025
Webpage:
https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/statistics/pasifika-education/pasifika-in-schooling/6044
How to find the data
At URL provided, download the file 'Time Series Data: Pacific Language Learning 2000-2025'.
Import & extraction details
File as imported: Pacific Language Learning: Pacific Time Series Tables 2025
From the dataset Pacific Language Learning: Pacific Time Series Tables 2025, this data was extracted:
- Sheet: 3
- Range:
D7:AC108 - Provided: 2,652 data points
This data forms the table Schooling - Students learning Pacific languages by level and region 2000–2025.
Dataset originally released on:
November 2025
About this dataset
This dataset provides a snapshot of Pacific language in education in New Zealand Schools as at 1 July. It describes two levels of Pacific language learning: Pacific-medium education and Pacific language as a separate subject.