Early Childhood sector adds its voice to National Standards concern

An early childhood sector forum has expressed concern about the government’s National Standards policy in primary schools, and has identified potential risks to ECE.

The forum was organised by NZEI Te Riu Roa which represents early childhood teachers. It brought together a range of groups including private and public providers of ECE, teachers and academics.

It is the first time the possible impact of National Standards on ECE has been considered by a broad sector group.

The biggest concern is that National Standards could have a push down effect into early childhood services and compromise the early childhood curriculum, Te Whariki.

NZEI vice president Judith Nowotarski says Te Whariki aims to foster confident, competent and confident learners, and must remain central to early childhood learning.

“We don’t want a situation where Te Whariki is narrowed or sidelined by National Standards or one where National Standards start to dictate how we prepare children for school. That would go against the very essence of quality ECE,” she says.

There was a strong message from the Forum that the sector would fight hard to ensure that Te Whariki continues to link in with the NZ Curriculum in schools, and not National Standards.

It also supported calls for the government to trial National Standards in schools, saying there is no confidence that they will address underachievement.