When planning a children’s birthday party at your centre or home the first things to consider are:
The birthday child’s age and developmental abilities so that the party games, food (etc) are appropriate.The child’s personal likes and interests (e.g. you would not organise an inside noisy dance party with lots of friends for a 4-year-old girl wh
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Getting Smarter on Early Childhood Education in NZ’s National Infrastructure Plan
Statement from the Office of ECE. Submitted to the Hon Chris Bishop and the NZ Infrastructure Commission, Te Waihanga. July 16, 2025.
Released August 6, 2025.
The draft National Infrastructure Plan notes that NZ has a formidable number of infrastructure
FULL REFERENCE: Tiko, L. and Mosen. J. (2026). Advancing climate-smart pedagogies in Fiji’s early childhood education and development. NZ International Research in Early Childhood Education Journal, 28(1), 6-19.
ABSTRACT: This commentary explores the imperative of embedding climate-smart education within Fiji’s Early Childhood Education and Development (ECED) sector, in response to the nation’s increasing vulnerability to climate change. It critically examines current ECED policies and practices, highlighting gaps in climate responsiveness and the need for locally grounded solutions. Drawing on Indigenous Fijian knowledge systems, including vanua-centered pedagogies (context-centered) and the Framework of Gifting Knowledge, the commentary advocates for a culturally relevant and climate-conscious approach to early education. It argues that empowering Fijian educators and communities to lead climate-smart ECED initiatives is essential for fostering resilience among young children. The commentary also critiques the reliance on external agencies and calls for a shift towards Fijian/Pacific-led strategies that align with Fiji’s national development goals and cultural values. By centering Indigenous epistemologies and climate justice, this paper contributes to the discourse on sustainable and equitable early childhood education in small island developing states.
Log-in to read the full paper below. Or order a pdf copy of the article from the main NZIRECE Journal page.
Key words: Climate-smart education, Indigenous epistemologies, Pacific-led resilience, climate change, child health, place-based education, nature-based, teacher education.
INTRODUCTION: Fiji, like many Pacific Island nations, faces significant climate vulnerabilities, including rising sea levels, severe weather events, and ecosystem changes that directly affect communities and children (Janif et al., 2016; IPCC, 2021). In this context, Early Childhood Education and Development (ECED) plays a vital role in building climate resilience and adaptive capacity. However, Fiji’s ECED policies and practices have yet to fully adopt climate-smart education frameworks that are both culturally grounded and locally driven (UNESCO, n.d.; Hemstock et al., 2020).
This commentary advocates reimagining ECED in Fiji by integrating climate-conscious pedagogy informed by Indigenous knowledge systems, such as vanua-centered learning and traditional ecological knowledge (Ali et al., 2025; Vunibola et al., 2024). It criticises reliance on external models and promotes a shift toward Pacific-led approaches that support Fiji’s development objectives, including the Climate Change Act 2021 and the Framework for Resilient Development in the Pacific. By emphasising Indigenous epistemologies and community engagement, climate-smart ECED can serve as a transformative tool for fostering sustainable futures in Fiji.
Budget 2022 Commentary and Analysis. May 19, 2022. There are slim pickings for early childhood education (ECE) in this year’s Budget. The Government has failed
As professionals, teachers are often presented with situations that require them to consider what is important to the families of the children they are teaching, while ensuring that they are working in an environment where they are comfortable and where their training and experience is valued and appreciated.
In deciding how to approach the reus
A Response To The ECC’s Call For Lower Early Childhood Education Standards Tuesday, 17 September 2024, 1.52 pm.Press Release: Office of Early Childhood Education.
Review of the Ministry of Education is Needed. The most basic expectation every parent has when using an early childhood service is that their child
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