Generic or Specific? Deciphering the New Zealand Approach to Professional Standards for Early Childhood

Search in Research
NZ International Research in Early Childhood Education journal

Research exploring why NZ has taken the approach to professional standards for early childhood teachers that it has – generic to the primary and secondary sectors. Read the full paper below. Or to order a pdf copy of the article go to the main NZIRECE Journal page.

This is a member/subscriber only post. To access it, please see the message below for details on access and joining.
Already a Research Subscriber?
Reasons to Subscribe
Tertiary education libraries and individuals.

Enjoy online access to full copies of the latest issues of the NZ-International Research in ECE journal and more than 25 years of past issues of peer-reviewed published articles.

You will also have access to the NZ Doctoral thesis (Ph.D, and Ed.D) and the NZ Master’s thesis directory of theses relevant to early childhood education and care.

For those who are new to doing research, thesis supervisors, and conference paper selectors, we have a range of articles to inform and support you.  These include a guide to ethics when doing, writing, and disseminating research; reviewing abstracts and conference submissions, and more.

Sign-up now

Are you a teacher educator or academic, a practitioner, or a policy advisor, who is keen to keep up with ECE research?

Maybe you are planning to do some research yourself? Or maybe you are advising and supervising students who are undertaking projects?

Enjoy unrestricted access to the hundreds of articles in the Research Area of our OECE website.

Choose your own username and password when you subscribe online. This will be your login for access.

Libraries can request IP address access for staff and students on the library site, instead of password access.  Please note that this is dependent on whether system settings at your end can support this.

Your investment

Personal research user membership – $79.00 for 12-months

Libraries and tertiary education institutions – $250.00 for 12-months

Please see and abide by the Terms & Conditions of membership.

Article copyright belongs to the OECE / ChildForum. You are welcome to add a link to this research article on your website.

Related Posts

children's feet

Strengthening Policy Implementation and System Coordination for Equitable Early Childhood Development in Fiji

Full reference: Tiko, L. (2025). Strengthening policy implementation and system coordination for equitable early childhood development in Fiji. NZ International Research in Early Childhood Education Journal, 27, 83-96.

Login to read the full research paper below. Or order a pdf copy of the article from the main NZIRECE Journal page.

Abstract

This paper critically explores the challenges and opportunities in strengthening policy implementation and system coordination for equitable Early Childhood Development (ECD) in Fiji. It interrogates the effectiveness of the 2024 to 2028 National ECD Policy and the 2025 Pre-Primary Policy, focusing on persistent disparities in resource distribution, professional development, and infrastructure between urban and rural ECE centres. The paper highlights fragmented inter-ministerial coordination among the Ministries of Education, Health, and Women and Children, revealing operational silos and inconsistent planning mechanisms. Situated within the broader context of Small Island Developing States (SIDS), the analysis emphasises the importance of culturally grounded, community-led approaches rooted in Indigenous knowledge systems. The commentary calls for a paradigm shift in ECD policy implementation, one that centres equity, resilience, and local agency to build inclusive and sustainable early childhood systems across Fiji and the Pacific.

Key words:  Early Childhood Development, Policy Implementation, System Coordination.

This is a member/subscriber only post. To access it, please see the message below for details on access and joining.

Read More »
child eating a muffin at an early childhood centre

Fishhooks in the ECE Free Food Programme

Fishhooks in the ECE Free Food Programme

Wellington. 24 October 2024.

Key points on the ECE Food Programme

1. Funding goes to KidsCan and services will be selected by the MoE and invited to participate.

2. Staff costs to prepare food and lack of adequate facilities for food storage and preparation may prohibit services in the most

This is a member/subscriber only post. To access it, please see the message below for details on access and joining.

Read More »
rugby world cup

Under-5s Rugby

Teaching Rugby to Children in Early Childhood Education. This fosters a sense of belonging, pride, and achievement.

Rugby is part of NZ’s culture and central to our cultural identity.  (See another article on following and celebrating the Rugby World Cup with children

It is a great sport to introduce to children from about 2 years of a

This is a member/subscriber only post. To access it, please see the message below for details on access and joining.

Read More »
Boy has found a stick and considers what to do next in his kindy play.

Gun Play?

Do You Allow (Or Even Encourage) Gun Play? By Tim Kahn.

Tim Kahn writes his thoughts about the superhero and weapon’s play that is often indulged in relentlessly by a small group of boys – and less persistently by another group of boys and a few girls.

Starting with the child

Effective learning for young children starts from their i

This is a member/subscriber only post. To access it, please see the message below for details on access and joining.

Read More »

Are you teaching and caring for children or studying for an ECE qualification?

If you are, that’s great!   Join us now, and become a teacher member.

The Office of ECE

Share This Information

Notice for Students and Library Users
You are able to access all Journal Research articles under the library's subscription. But unless you hold a personal membership you are missing out on a whole lot of valuable teaching and policy articles and other important information. At home, or on your mobile device that is not linked to your institution or library's internet or subscription - click on the JOIN button below.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

The Office of ECE Login

Take Action!

Help spread this vital ECE information, join our free social and email groups and become a member of OECE.

pay parity funding policy

1. Share This Information

2. Follow Our Social Pages

3. Get Regular Updates

Sign up to our free newsletters.

4. Become a Member