Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to overview the economics education at the secondary level in New Zealand in comparison with Japanese high school economics. Firstly, general educational system in New Zealand is briefly explained, and I point out some typical features of New Zealand educational system to compare it with Japan. Secondly, I clarify students' qualification of four tests that students must take during the last three years in secondary school so as to enter a university in New Zealand. In the final chapter, Auckland Grammar School is picked as one example for New Zealand high school, and students' life of this school is explained and also economics education in this school is examined using my observations of class attendance and school documents. In this analysis, as a subject that students take in secondary school in New Zealand, economics is not compulsory but optional unlike civics or politics/economics in Japanese high school. Contents of economics teaching in secondary school in New Zealand are almost the same in introductory courses of university, because there is no liberal arts education in New Zealand universities for freshmen and sophomores, so level of economics teaching is very high even in secondary school there. If a New Zealand student studies economics as one of five selective Bursary subjects from year 11 to 13, he/she takes test of economics at Bursary to enter a university at the end of year 13, and he/she can get good results, then he/she can have much possibility to choose any faculty or department in any university in New Zealand.
