Schooling in Niue is compulsory, secular and free for all children aged 5 to 14. At more advanced grades, instruction is delivered in English.
Niuean tends to be the language of family and village life, and English the language of business. Most Niueans are fluent in both languages.
There is one primary school (including a pre-school) and one high school; both have rolls of around 200. Niue follows the New Zealand curriculum and Niue High School has been accredited by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority. Teaching resources, however, include materials especially designed for a Pacific Island context.
Niue has implemented Levels 1 and 2 of the New Zealand National Certificate in Educational Achievement (NCEA), in keeping with the changes made in New Zealand senior secondary assessment, and is moving to implement Level 3.
University or other tertiary education is available only overseas. Students are selected for further training and supported by government scholarships and then return to take up government jobs, such as physicians or nurses, engineers, technicians, administrators and managers, teachers, and mechanics.