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The highest achieving New Zealand Scholarship students from 2024 were celebrated at Parliament this afternoon, receiving awards from the Minister of Education and New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) Board Chair at the annual Top Scholar Awards ceremony.
“The Top Scholar Awards highlight the hard work and dedication of these remarkable students, along with their achievement in last year’s New Zealand Scholarship awards,” says NZQA Chief Executive, Dr Grant Klinkum.
The Minister of Education, Hon Erica Stanford, presented former St Cuthbert's College student Jifei Shao with the Prime Minister’s Award for Academic Excellence - the highest academic honour available for senior secondary school students.
The Prime Minister’s Award recognises the top-achieving participant in New Zealand Scholarship.
Jifei Shao received Outstanding Scholarships in Chemistry, Classical Studies, Geography, Health and Physical Education, History, Physics, and Statistics; and Scholarships in Art History, Biology, Calculus, Earth and Space Science, English, and Music.
The Minister of Education also presented 12 Premier Awards to students who received Outstanding Scholarships across multiple subjects; while NZQA Board Chair, Kevin Jenkins, presented awards to the highest achieving student in each of the 37 New Zealand Scholarship subjects.
“These awards are a testament both to the recipients’ hard work, and the support of their families and educators,” Dr Klinkum says.
“The awards not only honour individual accomplishments but also inspire other students to strive for academic excellence.”
“Beyond their academic successes, Top Scholars engaged in a variety of musical, athletic, and community service activities,” Dr Klinkum says.
More than 9,100 students entered for one or more New Zealand Scholarship examinations in 2024, with 2,441 students awarded one or more scholarships.