Families call for AI, robotics education in New Zealand schools

A growing number of Chinese families are enrolling their children in out-of-school robotics and artificial intelligence programs, believing that fluency in these technologies is essential for the next generation.

Many are also calling on New Zealand's education system to incorporate these subjects into the national curriculum, arguing that early exposure is key to preparing students for a rapidly evolving, technology-driven job market.

Pauline Cleaver, acting deputy secretary of Te Poutāhū Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education, said the government's 2025 budget included targeted investment in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education.

The Creative Imagination Laboratory (CILab), a robotics and programming institute based in Auckland, has reported a sharp rise in enrollment among Asian students since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"When we founded the institute in 2016, we started with just a dozen children," said Hannah Nie, the institute's director. "Today, we teach around 300 students."

Nie said approximately 80 percent of CILab's students were of Asian heritage, though interest from families of Middle Eastern, Russian and European backgrounds had grown steadily in recent years.

She also noted a shift in age demographics, with younger children increasingly drawn to programming and robotics.

"Students from intermediate schools and colleges used to make up about 80 percent of our enrollment," she said. "But after Covid, we saw a surge in primary school students joining our programs. They've since become our largest group."

Nie said the shift reflected a broader awareness among parents about the importance of early tech education.

"Many Asian families are beginning to realize that robotics and programming are essential skills their children will need to navigate the future," she said.

James Wang, founder and instructor at iBot Academy NZ, a home-based robotics and programming school in Auckland, has observed a similar trend.

A former software engineer and lecturer in the Faculty of Information Technology at the Beijing University of Technology in China, Wang launched the academy with his wife in 2015.

Wang now runs three courses focused on robotics competitions, robot construction and the C programming language.

He said the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence had fueled growing demand for robotics education among Chinese families in Auckland.

Wang called on New Zealand's school system to increase investment in STEM education, arguing that it was essential for preparing the next generation.

"I know some schools do offer engineering classes," he said.

"But what they're teaching are skills like carpentry and ironwork," he said. "It's outdated. It doesn't meet the needs of modern society.

"Technological knowledge is incredibly important now - it's foundational," he said. "If students have that base, they can pick up other related subjects much more easily."

Selina Chen, whose son attends Botany Downs Secondary College and is enrolled in the CILab robotics program agreed.

She said understanding technology and learning how to work with robots would be a crucial skill for the next generation.

"In the future, robots and AI will be everywhere." she said.

"Even if children don't become engineers, they still need to understand how these [systems] work and how to use them," she said.

"It's like how we all had to learn to use computers or smartphones."

Chen also wanted more comprehensive instruction in robotics to be introduced in schools.

"[My son's school] does have classes on AI and robotics. They call them technology classes," she said. "But, as far as I know, they don't go very deep, [it's] just very basic.

"I would like to see primary or secondary school include robots or AI as [part of] basic education," she said.

"Technology is moving so fast [and] it's important for children to start understanding it at their earliest age."

Ling Zhao, who enrolled her eight-year-old son in a robotics program, said it would be ideal if robotics and artificial intelligence were embedded into the primary school curriculum, though she acknowledged that teaching resources remained limited.

"The teaching resources are probably limited, especially since this is such a new area," she said. "That's why we chose to come here [to an out-of-school robotics program]."

To encourage more school students to engage with robotics, artificial intelligence and engineering, Ho Seok Ahn, a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Engineering and Design at the University of Auckland, has led national teams of young talent to represent New Zealand at the International Robot Olympiad since 2016.

Ahn said artificial intelligence was no longer confined to engineering, but had expanded into fields such as business, medicine, commerce and marketing, making it a critical area of knowledge for all generations, especially young people.

"Especially for the young generation, [understanding artificial intelligence] is more important," he said. "It's very related to their future goals, including jobs or major.

"If they don't have any understanding or skills on AI, it's probably much difficult for them to get jobs in the future."

Ahn agreed that New Zealand schools should invest more in integrating artificial intelligence into the curriculum but acknowledged that it would not be an easy undertaking.

"A lot of New Zealand schools have already prepared some traditional, skill-based facilities and teaching materials," he said.

"But in this area, we have really rapid changes which require regular upgrades to facilities and teaching materials," he said.

"For schools, they may realize that they need to adopt the latest skill sets and teaching materials for their students," he said.

"But it's very related to budget and policy."

Ahn said teacher capacity presented another challenge for schools.

"We have very qualified, smart and well-educated teachers at school," he said. "But they should be trained in new technologies, which might be another burden on schools."

Kiwibots, the New Zealand robotics charitable trust, has spent more than 15 years organizing competitions, educational initiatives and outreach programs designed to inspire young New Zealanders through hands-on STEM learning.

Over the past two years, the organization has taken 27 teams to the United States to represent New Zealand at the VEX World Championships, bringing home a total of 10 world titles.

Michelle Hazeleger-Mollard, national operations manager for the trust, said student participation in Kiwibots programs had increased by roughly 10 percent each year, with particularly strong interest in courses that incorporate artificial intelligence and advanced technologies.

Hazeleger-Mollard said teachers at New Zealand schools were eager to introduce students to artificial intelligence and robotics, but limited funding for equipment and facilities remained an obstacle.

"Teachers are keen," she said. "But funding is limited.

"Whilst all the resources are free, schools still need funding to get the gear to start," she said. "That is hard when their budgets are super limited.

Cleaver said STEM education was compulsory for all students from Year 1 through Year 10.

In Years 11 to 13, schools might offer more specialized STEM subjects, depending on staffing, available resources and student demand, she said.

Cleaver said the Ministry of Education had partnered with STEM-focused organizations and was funding more than 70 community-based specialist education providers to support science, technology and mathematics learning outside traditional classroom settings.

She said the government's 2025 budget also included targeted investment in STEM education, including $39.9 million for science and pūtaiao resource kits for students in Years 0 through 8, which will be available beginning in 2026.

Cleaver said a refreshed curriculum - incorporating existing, new and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, generative AI, computational thinking, digital outcome design, and digital safety and security - would be released in draft form later this year. Schools will be invited to review and begin adopting the framework, with full implementation required by 2027.

"We recognize the growing importance of AI and digital technologies in students' futures," she said.

"As part of the refresh of the technology learning area in the New Zealand curriculum, students will explore understanding, knowledge and practice across a range of technologies."