Avneet Kaur, Auckland
A Sikh education initiative with a global presence is moving ahead with plans to establish New Zealand’s first Sikh primary school in Papamoa, with the Gobind Sarvar team currently working through the registration and development process.
The proposed Gobind Sarvar Primary School is planned to begin with a kindergarten before expanding into a primary school for Year 1 to Year 6 students. The school is expected to follow the New Zealand Curriculum, while also incorporating Punjabi language and Gurmat eduction (teachings and ideology of the Sikh Gurus).
According to Amarjot Singh, a volunteer with the Gobind Sarvar team, the organisation is currently working on the initial steps required to establish the school, including setting up the legal entity, preparing the constitution, developing governance structures and completing the necessary registration and approval processes.
“The process involves setting up the structure of the organisation, identifying the right location and ensuring all requirements are met before the school can begin operations,” Singh said.
He said the team is exploring the Charter school pathway in New Zealand, which would require meeting government requirements and operating under an approved framework.
Singh said the proposed school is expected to be developed in phases, with the first stage focused on establishing a kindergarten, followed by the primary school. The overall timeline is estimated at around two, subject to approvals, planning and construction.
The Papamoa project follows Gobind Sarvar’s international expansion, with the organisation saying it now has 18 locations across 13 countries and more than 10,000 students connected with its education network.
Gobind Sarvar currently operates full-time schools in Canada and Australia, including campuses in Calgary, Edmonton and New South Wales, and has a wider presence in countries including the United States, Malaysia, India and Europe.
Amarjot said that the organisation’s education model combines local academic curriculum requirements with Punjabi language, cultural learning and Sikh values.
He said Gobind Sarvar’s schools are designed to create safe learning environments where students receive structured education while developing qualities such as humility, kindness and responsibility.
Sharing more insights, he informed that the organisation started its Gurmat classes in Papamoa back in 2017, when classes began on a small scale from a home and later expanded through Darbar Guru Granth Sahib Ji Gurdwara Sahib.
He said as part of the New Zealand project, Gobind Sarvar has launched a fundraising campaign to support land acquisition and development costs for the proposed Papamoa campus.
The organisation’s funding plan includes around NZ$500,000 for kindergarten development, NZ$1 million for school planning expenses and NZ$3 million towards land purchase. The campaign also outlines future financial commitments, including payments of approximately NZ$1.9 million in December 2026, NZ$1.6 million in June 2027 and NZ$1 million in September 2027 as the project progresses.
The team says the proposed school aims to provide families with another education option in New Zealand, combining the country’s curriculum framework with Punjabi language and Sikh heritage learning.
