April 06, 2018
Critical eye cast over early childhood learning
Getting non-teachers out of early childhood education is one of the aims of an overhaul of the sector announced yesterday by Education Minister Chris Hipkins.
Releasing the terms of reference for the Early Learning Strategic Plan, Mr Hipkins said he intends to revisit decisions by the previous National Government that undermined the shift towards a more qualified workforce.
The aim now is to achieve 100 percent qualified teachers in all centre-based teacher-led early learning services and to improve group size and teacher: child ratios for infants and toddlers.
Mr Hipkins says he has asked his ministry to work with parents, teachers, stakeholders including kohanga reo whanau and other kaupapa Maori early learning providers, and the wider community to develop the ten year strategic plan.
He is also keen to lift the quality of services that predominantly enrol Maori and Pacific children.
The Minister appointed a five-member independent Ministerial Advisory Group chaired by Victoria University education professor Carmen Dalli, and including Massey University Maori studies unit head Meihana Durie.
He also invited members of the Early Childhood Advisory Committee and the ECE Research Policy Forum to join a new Reference Group.
Copyright © 2018, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com