A Kindergartens Aotearoa delegation appearing before the select committee yesterday, raising serious concerns about proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill.

Whānau Manaaki CEO Amanda Coulston, HR Advisor Professional Practice Glenda Rowe and Senior Head Teacher Colleen Templeton (pictured above) outlined why the proposed changes could weaken quality and accountability in early childhood education.

~ Shifting teaching standards from the Teaching Council to the Ministry exposes the profession to political interference. Teachers should set professional standards, not government ministers.

 

~ The new Director of Regulation role in ERO has extensive powers without enough oversight and signals a worrying shift of ECE away from education.

 

~ The education property agency needs clear direction to prioritise public, community-based ECE and schools when managing public property.

These changes are massive, with little evidence to back them up. ECE is a public good. Decisions about our education system should be grounded in research and focused on what's best for tamariki, not driven by politics or commercial interests.

You can read the full Kindergartens Aotearoa Submission here.