Third Update from the ECE Taskforce
The second update from the ECE Taskforce was released on 14 March 2011.
ECE Taskforce: Update 14 March 2011
Kia ora koutou! This is the third update on the work of the ECE Taskforce. The Taskforce is committed to being open and transparent and we are keen to hear your feedback and thoughts on Early Childhood Education (ECE) in New Zealand.
Progress to date
The Taskforce met twice in February. We discussed the key aspects of ECE in NZ we would like to see evolve in the sector over the next 3-5 years. Our final report to Government is now taking shape and has been supported by the vast number of submissions we received.
The submissions and comments we received from the public have been highly valuable to our work. The majority of submissions have supported our discussions and visions for ECE to date which is a great sign. We would like to thank all those who took the time to share their feedback, knowledge and experience with us.
A summary of submissions to the ECE Taskforce and the minutes from our December meeting are now available on this website, in the Essential Reading section http://www.taskforce.ece.govt.nz/essential-reading/.
The Essential Reading section also contains a series of background papers that were prepared for us by the Taskforce Secretariat (located in the Ministry of Education). Additional relevant documents are regularly being added to this section so keep your eye out for new material.
We are still interested in hearing from you. Although the formal submission process closed on 31 January 2011, see the ‘Get Involved’ section below to see how you can still share your thoughts and feedback with us.
Our work is now moving on to thinking about the final details of our report. We have another meeting set for March 2011.
Find us online
On this website: http://www.taskforce.ece.govt.nz as well as a Facebook page (ECE Taskforce NZ), where you can share your feedback with us by simply commenting on the profile page.
The website has information about the Taskforce including the formal terms of reference, reference documents, links to media releases and information on how the public can get involved. The Essential Reading page contains documents relevant to our work.
Get involved
We are still interested in hearing from you on any topic relevant to our work. Your feedback can be made by:
• leaving a message on the comments section of the ECE Taskforce website http://www.taskforce.ece.govt.nz/get-involved/ or
• joining and commenting on the ECE Taskforce Facebook page – ECE Taskforce NZ.
The Taskforce report is due to Government around the end of March.
How to subscribe to Taskforce updates
Register to receive regular updates from the ECE Taskforce by emailing ece.taskforce@minedu.govt.nz
Comments
As an infant and toddler educator and advocate for young children I am interested to hear about the work of the ECE Taskforce.
In light of the recent decision to increase the ECE centre group size from 50 to 150, with up to 75 under 2s (I) , I would like to urge the Minister to consider the following conditions to help ensure that the emotional well being of young children is met within large group care settings.
Firstly a Key Person Approach/ Primary Caregiving approach
Secondly, a look at improving teacher: child ratios.
Thirdly, working towards a 100% registered teachers in ECE.
I urge the Taskforce in making recommendations to Government, in the light of the new provision for higher licence numbers, to take the opportunity to eliminate the distasteful and unfair pre-school apartheid managers of the 460 multi-licence centres have to implement in the provision of separate indoor and outdoor playspaces, eating and sleeping spaces and washroom and toilet/nappy change facilities. As child numbers and ages in centres continually wax, wane and fluctuate over time, centre managers need the ability to freely make decisions on the deployment of spaces, facilities and age-groups within their centres to provide the best outcome for the children, not merely to meet the bureaucratic requirements of MOE personnel who have recourse to their interpretations of the ECE regulations with which they berate centre management for infractions thereof. Raised in South Africa in the worst of the apartheid era it irks me sorely to have to implement, for whatever reasons, similar restrictions in my centre and for scarce tax-payer funds to have to resource this draconian nonsense.