支持校园合唱，让更多学生唱响未来
这是一项对新西兰学校音乐教育的重要支持措施。
教育部长 Erica Stanford 宣布：
为 New Zealand Choral Federation 提供一次性资助 15万纽元；
为 Choirs Aotearoa New Zealand 提供一次性资助 15万纽元；
总额 30万纽元，用于支持两项全国性合唱活动继续举办。
同时，政府在2026年预算中还额外拨出 560万纽元 用于学校音乐器材（Music Kits）计划。
谁受益？
1. The Big Sing
The Big Sing 是新西兰规模最大的中学合唱赛事：
已举办超过35年；
超过9,000名学生参与；
全国280多个合唱团参赛；
设有奥克兰、怀卡托、惠灵顿、坎特伯雷、奥塔哥等地区赛；
最终进入全国决赛。
教育部长表示：
> 合唱不仅培养音乐兴趣，也有助于学生的心理健康、自信心和学习参与度。
2. New Zealand Secondary Students Choir
New Zealand Secondary Students Choir 是全国优秀中学生组成的代表合唱团：
培养高水平合唱能力；
发展学生领导力；
代表新西兰参加国内外大型音乐节和文化活动。
这笔资金虽然不算庞大，但具有明显的象征意义：
1. 政府重新强调艺术教育价值
过去几年学校普遍面临经费压力；
音乐、戏剧等课程常被视为非核心项目；
此次拨款显示政府希望维持艺术教育生态。
2. 回应学校和音乐界担忧
近年The Big Sing的举办成本持续上升；
交通、场地、评审及行政费用不断增加；
主办机构曾表达长期资金来源不足的问题。
3. 与政府“基础技能”政策形成平衡
国家党政府近年重点投入阅读、写作和数学；
此次音乐拨款说明政府并未完全忽视艺术教育；
试图在“基础学科”与“全面发展”之间取得平衡。
对华人家庭的影响
许多华人学生在新西兰学校参与：
School Choir（学校合唱团）
Chamber Choir（室内合唱团）
The Big Sing地区赛及全国赛
此次资金支持有助于：
降低活动停办风险；
维持全国赛事质量；
让更多学生获得音乐和表演机会；
增强大学申请及奖学金申请中的课外活动经历。
对于有孩子在新西兰中学就读的家庭来说，这是一项受到广泛欢迎的教育投资。
The Big Sing, involving more than 9000 students and 280 choirs, has had its funding secured, Education Minister Erica Stanford announced today.
The New Zealand Choral Federation and Choirs Aotearoa New Zealand will each receive a one-off grant of $150,000 to support the production of their annual events.
“Music builds strong foundations for learning, confidence, and can lead to new opportunities both within and outside the classroom. Giving students the opportunity to participate in choir can also help keep them engaged with their learning,” Education Minister Erica Stanford says.
This is in addition to the $5.6 million that has been funded in Budget 26 to fund music kits in schools.
“What we want is to make singing, music and the chance to play an instrument available to every student.
The Big Sing has been taking place for over 35 years and is New Zealand’s largest choral event, with singers entering regional competitions held in Auckland, Waikato/Bay of Plenty, East Coast, Taranaki, Manawatu/Whanganui, Wellington, Marlborough/Nelson, Canterbury/West Coast, Otago and Southland.
“I love that the values of the Big Sing are to nurture not only a love of singing, but also to improve mental health and wellbeing and provide a platform to showcase New Zealand music.
“The Big Sing is the highlight of the year for school choirs and the families who support their children to compete. The calibre of performance on display is exceptional, and I’m pleased that this funding will help ensure the production continues,” Ms Stanford says.
The second event that will benefit from this funding is the New Zealand Secondary Students Choir, led by Choirs Aotearoa New Zealand.
“This national choir helps extend secondary students’ choral excellence and develops leadership capabilities. Students represent New Zealand at major national and international festivals and events.”
The funding has been found from within the Ministry of Education’s baseline.
