Away With The Steiners

Schools in Rarotonga: Finding a school in the Cook Islands.

Sarah Steiner

Here is everything you want to ask about all the schools in Rarotonga! Because, I’m sure if like us you are considering (or even dreaming about) moving to the Cook Islands as a family (or a teacher) then theres a good chance you’ve started trying to find information online about options for schools in Rarotonga…

The good news is there is actually a whole list of great schools in Rarotonga.  There are preschools, primary schools and secondary schools spread out all around the island which makes it easy when trying to choose a school close to home. 

(And plus, it only takes about 40 minutes to drive around the entire island of Rarotonga meaning you won’t be more than twenty mins away from your child’s school, no matter which option you choose!). 

There are in fact 12 registered schools on Rarotonga, 11 preschools (for children under the age of 5 years old) and 3 main daycare options. 

Students from Apii Nikao Year 4-6 Marae getting ready for the Primary Schools Culture Festival 2021.
Students from Apii Nikao Year 4-6 Marae getting ready for the Primary Schools Culture Festival 2021.

A few things to know about schools in Rarotonga

In Cook Islands Maori, the word Apii means school.

Education in Rarotonga is closely linked to the educational system of New Zealand and is administered by the Cook Islands Ministry of Education.

The schools on Rarotonga consist of government established primary and secondary schools, four Church schools and two private schools. (The term ‘private’ is used to denote a non-government school that is neither owned nor operated by a religious organisation).

Two of the church schools on Rarotonga are administered by the Catholic Church (St Joseph’s Primary and Nukutere College), one by the Seventh Day Adventist Church (Papaaroa School) and one by the Assembly of God Church (Imanuela Akatemia).

The two private schools are Apii Te Uki Ou and Blackrock Preschool.

The starting age for schools in Rarotonga is five years old.  Unlike in New Zealand where children can start school at five years old, but the legal starting age is actually not until six.  Here in Rarotonga kids must start school at five years old. 

About the Cook Islands school calendar

Schools in Rarotonga follow the Cook Islands school calendar. The school year in the Cook Islands is made up of four terms with three 2-week holidays throughout the year. 

The following are dates for the 2024 school year in the Cook Islands:

The following are dates for the 2025 school year in the Cook Islands:

School uniforms

Each of the primary and secondary schools in Rarotonga has their own uniform.

School uniforms can be purchased from Tuki’s Pareu; a clothing shop in Avarua.

Our kids uniform for Apii Nikao cost: 

Apii Nikao uniforms for sale at Tuki’s Pareu in Avarua.

Education in the Cook Islands – statistics from 2021

The following are the statistics provided by the Cook Islands Ministry of Education for the year of 2021.

(Note: These are the numbers for the Cook Islands as a whole; not just for the island of Rarotonga).

ECE 

Primary

Secondary

Don’t forget that the Cook Islands is a nation made up of 15 major islands!

Education is a big sector in Rarotonga (for children and teachers alike) with 12 schools on the island.

But there are actually over 30 schools scattered across the Cook Islands archipelago on 12 of the permanently inhabited islands.

The Year 4-6 classroom at Apii Tematangarengare on the small island of Mitiaro in the Southern Cook Islands.

Read on below (listed in alphabetical order) for an introduction and summary of statistics and education offered for each of the schools in Rarotonga.

List of Schools in Rarotonga

Primary Schools in Rarotonga

The following are details for the nine primary schools in Rarotonga.

Apii Arorangi

Arorangi School caters to around 160 students from ECE to Year 8.

The school is located on the beachside in Arorangi district directly opposite the Arorangi CICC Church.

The primary school is adequately resourced with a small library, computer room and food/technology room.

Teachers at Apii Arorangi demonstrate a high use of Cook Islands Maori in the classrooms and the school is involved in island-wide cultural events across all ages.

Vibrant colours and children’s work on display in Apii Arorangi ECE.

Contact Arorangi School: 

Apii Avarua

Avarua School or Apii Avarua is a co-educational primary school in Avarua.

It is the largest primary school in the Cook Islands, with a steady roll of over 450 students up to and including Year 8.

The school was founded by the London Missionary Society in 1916, becoming the third school on Rarotonga.

Inside the 4 year olds classroom at Apii Avarua ECE.

Contact Apii Avarua: 

Imanuela Akatemia

Apii Imanuela Akatemia is a small private school providing Christian education for children from ECE level to Year 13.

Apii Imanuela students on a weekly art class at Gallery Tavioni.

The majority of the curriculum at all levels is taught using the Accelerated Christian Education programme. This is an American programme that has been adapted to suit Pacific students.

Students complete individual units of work across a range of subjects at their own pace working from booklets or on the computer with the support of teachers that have been trained in the ACE programme.

“As a school we aim to train up every child to love God and be model citizens in the nation.  While we hold high academic standards, our focus is on building Christ-like character in every child equipping them to be agents of change in their community.” 

Imanuela Akatemia in Muri, Ngatangiia.

Contact Imanuela Akatemia: 

Apii Nikao 

Apii Nikao is the second largest primary school in Rarotonga (after Avarua) and the newest school to open on the island.

The school was built with funding from the Chinese Government and is a merge of two of Nikao’s original primary schools – Nikao Maori and Avatea School.

The large school grounds of Apii Nikao include a sizeable sports field, school assembly hall and two playgrounds (one in the lower primary and one in ECE).

The classrooms are built in a modern learning style and the school is build to cater for up to 500 students.

Apii Nikao Year 4-5 Marae during a visit from Volunteer Firefighter, Gavin.
Flowers galore at the end of year Parents Day and Prizegiving.

School fees for Apii Nikao: 

Contact Apii Nikao: 

Apii Rutaki

Rutaki School is one of the smaller primary schools on the island with less than 100 students from ECE to Year 6.

The grounds of Apii Rutaki are attractive with a large playing field, vegetable garden and vibrant playground in the ECE outdoor space all located adjacent to the beautiful Rutaki Beach.

Rutaki School playing field opposite the beautiful Rutaki beach.

Contact Rutaki School: 

Apii Takitumu

Apii Takitumu is a government school established in 1963. The current roll of 185 includes children from ECE level up to Year 6 with the majority of students residing within Vaka Takitumu.

The school has a wide variety of ethnicities on the roll with the majority enrolment predominately Cook Island Maori. Most students are English speakers and learning Maori as a second language.

Takitumu School has a special character of Maori Language and only teaches Maori reading and writing from Year 1 – 3.

At intermediate levels there is a bilingual language programme from Year 4 – 6.

Apii Takitumu uniforms for sale at Tuki’s Pareu.

Contact Apii Takitumu: 

Apii Te Uki Ou – Private School in Rarotonga

The colourful beachfront playground at Apii Te Uki Ou.

Apii Te Tuki Ou is a privately funded primary school located on the beachfront in the village of Ngatangiia (on the eastern side of the island).  

The school operates as an independent school registered through the Cook Islands Ministry of Education offering preschool and primary school education.

The majority of teachers are New Zealand Qualified educators with a mixture of local and international students.

The mission of Apii Te Uki Ou is to “provide an inclusive, nurturing environment that caters for individual needs, challenging students to excel in a changing world”.  

Apii Te Uki Ou boys uniform and sports singlet.

School fees for Apii Te Uki Ou: 

Contact Apii Te Uki Ou: 

Papaaroa Adventist School

Papaaroa Adventist School is a small school operating under the management of the Seventh Day Adventist Mission in Papaaroa, closely linking the school to community it serves.

The school grounds are located on a beautiful site in Titikaveka, stretching from the sea and beach to the hills at the rear. Education is offered from ECE to Year 10 with the children making full use of the school grounds, playing on the playground or field at the front of the school or cultivating the ground to grow healthy crops on the slopes behind.

Contact Papaaroa School:

St Joseph’s Primary School

St Josephs Primary School is located in Avarua town centre. It was established in 1895 by Catholic missionaries.

Today the school caters for around 170 children offering education from ECE to Year 6.

St Joseph’s ECE playground.
St Joseph’s Primary School classrooms.

Contact St Joseph’s Primary School: 

Secondary Schools in Rarotonga

Nukutere College

Nukutere College is the country’s only Catholic secondary school and has an important role across the archipelago.  The word “Nukutere” means ‘people on a journey’ and refers to the pilgrim church in the South Pacific context. 

Today, Nukutere College offers tuition from Year 7 (Form 1) up to Year 11 (Form 5) including NCEA Level 1.  In 2007, a government-funded Special Needs unit was opened at the college (the only such unit in Rarotonga).

Mission Statement: Nukutere College empowers students to achieve to the best of their ability spiritually, physicaly, socially and culturally. 

Vision Statement: Holistic formation through Catholic Education. 

Contact Nukutere College: 

Nukutere College grounds with a view of Maungatea and Te Manga in the background.
Nukutere College jacket.

Tereora College

Tereora is the largest school in the Cook Islands and the national college. It is also the only public college offering education to Year 13 (NCEA Level 3) in the country.  (Other secondary schools in Rarotonga go up to Year 11 or 12).

The school offers a wide range of subjects for students to study at all levels of NCEA.

Most students enter the college at Year 9 from the major contributing primary schools in Rarotonga.

However many students also come to the College to complete their senior years (Years 11-13) and NCEA Qualifications from local secondary schools that offer education up to Year 10 or 11 as well as from the Pa Enua (the outer Cook Islands).

Contact Tereora College: 

Students bikes parked outside the junior block classrooms at Tereora.

Titikaveka College

Titikaveka College is a small secondary school on the south side of the island of Rarotonga. The College offers education from Year 7 up to Year 11/NCEA Level 1 with one classroom per year level.

Class sizes are small which allows teachers to work more often with individual students. In turn, this is a strength of the school which is particularly recognised and appreciated by the students and families alike.

Contact Titikaveka College: 

Study room and main office, Titikaveka College.
Titikaveka College tuck shop.

Pre-Schools in Rarotonga

There are nine pre-schools in Rarotonga including the following two private ECE centres.

Blackrock Preschool 

Blackrock Api’i Potiki ECE has been educating tamariki since the early 1970s and is currently under the guidance of experienced ECE teacher and leader, Stephanie Forbes.

The ECE is set up with a beautiful outdoor play space complete with slides, a huge sandpit, and climbing frames. There is a water-play area and a colourful treehouse/fort under the shade of the giant flame trees.

The indoor play and learning spaces are designed to inspire children’s learning through play with areas for art and painting, block play, dress-ups and much more.

Morning sessions for 3-5 year olds run from 8am – 12pm or a full day from 8am – 2pm.

Beautifully shaded play area at Blackrock Preschool.

Tarome’s Childcare

Tarome’s Early Learning Centres are a beautiful daycare option for young children on Rarotonga. The centres offer childcare for children aged 1 to 5 years for full day or half-day session options.

The centres provide unique experiences for children where they can continue to explore and learn through play. Children have a range of areas of play available including sensory play, arts and craft, music, culture, science, sandpit, reading and more.

Centre Manager, Liz Harawira was born and raised in Arorangi, Rarotonga. After 15 years of working as an ECE provider in New Zealand she has returned to Rarotonga with her family and is incredibly passionate about creating more learning opportunities for young children and support for working families on the island.

Pricing for 1 – 2 year olds:

Pricing for 3 – 4 year olds:

The rainbow fence of Tarome’s Childcare with Raemaru Mountain in the background.

Adult Education on Rarotonga

There are also options for tertiary and higher level education on the island including:

Schools in Rarotonga; in summary…

Well, there you have it; all the information you were looking for about options for schools in Rarotonga. And how lucky are we! There are lots of amazing schools here.

It’s not easy as a parent (or a teacher) trying to find information and make decisions prior to moving to Rarotonga…

So if you have any more questions leave us a comment or come and find us on Facebook.

Wishing you a great year ahead!

Read more about moving to Rarotonga and adventures in the Cook Islands

Exit mobile version