Te Kura 100

In 2022 Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu (The Correspondence School) marks its 100th anniversary.  This stamp issue pays homage to the early decades of Te Kura, a time when lesson delivery was closely affiliated with NZ Post. 

Issue information

In 1922, Miss Janet MacKenzie arrived at the Department of Education in Wellington to start work as the first teacher of a new education endeavour – a ‘correspondence scheme’. She was allocated a small office on the second floor of Government Buildings. The role rapidly jumped from the estimated 25 primary-aged students to 347 by the end of the first year. Everything was handwritten and sent by post. 

Today more than 24,000 students are enrolled each year. Students of all ages, from early childhood to adult learners, study a vast array of topics, and lessons are now delivered instantly via the internet.Over the past 100 years, the school has undergone a remarkable transformation. Even its name has changed. But the profound mission of Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu has not deviated since 1922 – to provide education to tamariki and rangatahi who otherwise would miss out on the chance not just for an education, but the opportunity to transform their lives. 

Janet MacKenzie would surely have been delighted to know that the school for which she built such strong foundations would endure, and remain just as relevant as ever, 100 years later.

Product Listing for Te Kura 100

Image	Title	Description	Price
	Single Stamp	Single $1.70 'Early students, Wairarapa, 1930s' gummed stamp. This stamp shows one of the earliest known photos of Te Kura students. The boy is wearing the school’s uniform, usually worn when students attended a course away from home.	$1.70
	Single Stamp	Single $3.00 'Collecting a mailbag, Aoraki Mt Cook, 1950s' gummed stamp. This image quintessentially represents the early days of Te Kura, when lessons were delivered by post to remote rural locations. By the 1950s there were a vast array of topics taught, including a course in te reo Māori.	$3.00
	Single Stamp	Single $3.80 'Receiving school work, Arapito, 1960s' gummed stamp. This student is shown receiving lessons in the iconic green canvas envelope that could be used to receive and send schoolwork.	$3.80
	Single Stamp	Single $6.70 'Lighthouse lessons, Tiritiri Matangi, 1970s' gummed stamp. Although this photo represents the stereotypical image of remote learning, by the 1970s the Correspondence School had significantly diversified. Both rural and urban students were enrolled, and remote early childhood education was made available for the first time.	$6.70
	Miniature Sheet	Mint, used or cancelled miniature sheet.	$5.60
	First Day Cover	First day cover with four gummed stamps affixed. Cancelled on the first day of issue.	$15.20
	Miniature Sheet First Day Cover	First day cover with miniature sheet affixed. Cancelled on the first day of issue.	$6.10

Technical information