Government actions in early learning

Government is taking action through the Education Work Programme to support early learning services to implement the Statement of National Education and Learning Priorities (NELP).

The drop down menus below indicate where initiatives of the Education Work Programme have actions or commitments announced that align with the NELP.

Priorities and actions for early learning services [PDF, 148 KB]

Priority 1: 
Ensure places of learning are safe, inclusive and free from racism, discrimination and bullying

Priority 2: 
Have high aspirations for every learner/ākonga, and support these by partnering with their whānau and communities to design and deliver education that responds to their needs, and sustains their identities, languages, and cultures

Priority 3: 
Reduce barriers to education for all, including for Māori and Pacific learners/ākonga, disabled learners/ākonga and those with learning support needs

Priority 4: 
Ensure every learner/ākonga gains sound foundation skills, including language, literacy and numeracy

Priority 5: 
Meaningfully incorporate te reo Māori and tikanga Māori into the everyday life of the place of learning

Priority 6: 
Develop staff to strengthen teaching, leadership and learner support capability across the education workforce

Priority 7: 
Collaborate with industries and employers to ensure learners/ākonga have the skills, knowledge and pathways to succeed in work

Priority 8: 
Enhance the contribution of research and mātauranga Māori in addressing local and global challenges (TES ONLY)

Education Work Programme items

Raising achievement for Māori learners

Priority 1

Priority 2

Priority 3

Priority 5

Priority 6

Delivering Te Hurihanganui to address racism, strengthen equity and accelerate the educational achievement and wellbeing of Māori learners/ākonga and their whānau

Investing in professional learning and development to raise critical consciousness and support cultural capabilities, including Te Hurihanganui

 

Support places of learning to build their capability to identify and understand learner/ākonga needs and barriers to success

Allocating $100 million to support Kōhanga Reo and revitalise te reo Māori

 

Extending Te Ahu o te reo Māori to support the education workforce to integrate te reo Māori into their practice

 

 

Support education services to develop their capability to engage with Māori learners and whānau in partnership

 

 

Allocating $200 million to support ākonga Māori and whānau to reconnect and succeed in education post COVID-19 and strengthen the integration of te reo Māori into all students’ learning

 

 

 

 

Strengthening the delivery of Māori Language in Education, including support for the education workforce, resource development, and information for learners/ākonga and their whānau

 

 

 

 

Delivering Kauwhata Reo, the online hub for te reo Māori resources, and the development of localised te reo Māori curriculum resources through Te Aho Ngārahu

 

Raising achievement for Pacific learners

Priority 1

Priority 2

Priority 3

Priority 6

Implement the actions committed to in the Action Plan for Pacific Education

Deliver Talanoa Ako programme to support Pacific families

 

Funding innovative Pacific education initiatives designed and/or delivered by educators, and education providers that respond to curriculum and wellbeing needs exacerbated by COVID-19

Providing professional development and learning (PLD), guidance and support to strengthen the governance and management of Pacific early learning centres

Investing in and supporting the development of programmes and pathways for learning in Pacific languages

Developing professional learning resources based on the Tapasā: Cultural competencies framework for teachers of Pacific learners

 

Funding Pacific community organisations and groups to respond to the education and wellbeing needs of Pacific families and to support them to maintain strong relationships with education providers

Extend the PELP (Pacific Early Literacy Projects) and realm languages projects into early learning services to help teachers and families grow Pacific children’s language and early literacy capabilities

 

Supporting the development of programmes and pathways for learning in Pacific languages

Establishing a joint initiative between Education, Health and Social Development to support Pacific families to access the services they need to thrive.

 

Early Learning Action Plan

Priority 3

Priority 6

Priority 7

Reviewing equity A and B and targeted funding for disadvantage in ECE

Increasing qualification requirements for homebased educators, and the re-introduction of the 100% certificated funding band, in early childhood education

Begin initial work to co-construct a range of tools to help early learning kaiako to understand and respond to children’s progress

 

Allocating funding for ECE pay increases

 

 

Reinstating the 100% certificated teacher funding band from 1 January 2021

 

Education Workforce strategy

Priority 5

Implement Ka Hikitia and develop skills and capacity in the education workforce

Curriculum and assessment (includes CPA and NCEA review)

Priority 2

Priority 4

Priority 6

Developing tools for rich records of learning which are collaboratively generated with learners/ākonga and their families/whānau to capture aspirations, strengths and learning progress

Developing tools to support kaiako and teachers’ understanding of children’s learning progress, including for early learning, school and kura entry assessment, and social-emotional learning along the pathways

Developing an oral language resource to support early learning kaiako to enhance children’s oral language learning and development.

Learning Support Action Plan

Priority 3

Strengthen early identification of learning support needs through the development of screening tools

Reduce waiting times for existing early interventions and Improving early intervention for young children and their family and whānau

Investing in wellbeing/Child and Youth Wellbeing strategy

 Priority 1

Allocating $50 million to provide immediate support for any learning, social and emotional, mental, behavioural or other wellbeing issues for learners/ākonga in early learning services, schools and kura, as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown, or lockdown-related hardships

Establishing Curriculum Leads

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