Early Childhood Education
(ECE)
in New Zealand
- Integrated System -
Integrated system – overview
 no distinction between education and care
 government does not own or operate ECE services
 centralised authority for education and care
 areas of central responsibility:

statutory regulation + associated tiers of administration

government funding

curriculum

monitoring
Policy & system development
 system development in New Zealand

early 1900s – some government subsidies

1960 – regulation

1974 – targeted parent support

1986 to 1990 – centralisation of subsidies, support and
development of quality assurance

1990 – introduction of new funding and licensing system

1996 – Te Whāriki (bicultural ECE curriculum) officially introduced

2005 – major funding system changes
Integration
 sequence of integration:

revised education legislation

authority for childcare services transferred to Department of
Education from Department of Social Welfare

qualifications benchmark to be phased in

Department of Education becomes Ministry of Education

funding for Māori language services transferred to Ministry
of Education from Ministry of Māori Affairs

new funding system introduced
Teachers
 the New Zealand Qualifications Authority manages the
recognition of standards and qualifications
 the New Zealand Teachers Council decides which qualifications
can lead to teacher registration in ECE
 the funding system is designed to incentivise increases in the
number of registered ECE teachers
 recently changed from a 100% target of registered teachers (in
services led by teachers) by 2012 to 80%
Quality Assurance
1960 – first quality assurance – a form of licensing related to physical
welfare of children existed
 late 1980s… – sector advocacy for recognition by government
 teacher registration and monitoring through ERO / NZQA / NZTC
1990 – new funding system and licensing + Statement of Desirable
Objectives and Practices
 late 1980s – early 1990s – sector concerns about quality
 late 1990s – 2009 changes in ECE regulations and relicensing
requirements for ECE services are increasingly focused on quality of
education
Policy Lessons & evaluation
 Policy lessons
 main concerns of the sector
 mandate for reform
 implementation of changes via a 10 year strategic plan
 Evaluation of the 10 year strategic plan initiated in 2002:
 1st of 2 parts completed: monitoring of the early stages
 integrated approach is successful for delivery of ECE;
targeted intervention needed for those not participating