Regulatory Review Of Early Childhood Education (ECE) Has Delivered A Balanced Set Of 15 Key Recommendations

New Zealand Kindergartens’(NZK) Chief Executive Officer, Jill Bond, has welcomed the findings of the Regulatory Review, and is optimistic about the strategy for change. Focussing on modernising regulation, simplifying requirements, and improving support for the ECE Sector are critical steps in enabling teacher-led, quality ECE for generations to come.

The Ministry for Regulation has listened to the whole sector and has actively engaged throughout the process. They are to be congratulated for the way in which they have led and managed the review and set the benchmark for other sector reviews.

Ms Bond said that “the Ministry has delivered a balanced set of fifteen key recommendations that have the potential to create an improved regulatory framework that can achieve its core functions, something the current regulations do not achieve, as evidenced by the 2,285 submissions.”

The review’s recommendations respond to the call for clearer regulations and improved transparency – including the use of public funding, data and evidence, and strong and more mature working relationships with regulators that can ensure regulations relate to quality outcomes for tamariki.

“The review is just the first step in the process,” said Ms Bond. “It will be critical that ECE Sector Leaders are part of the evolution of this transformative change process, working together with government officials, to deliver the desired outcomes detailed in the report.”

Placing tamariki at the centre of all we do by protecting them from harm and delivering quality education, and supporting the teaching profession to attract and retain qualified teachers will be key to the success of giving effect to the fifteen key recommendations.

“We have a world-leading curriculum. By removing unnecessary burden of poor regulation will mean providers can focus on quality teaching and learning to enable tamariki to learn, grow, and thrive - because we know that what happens in early childhood education matters for a lifetime,” said Ms Bond.

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