OPINION/ANALYSIS — 29 October 2025
The Ministry’s review of its Early Childhood Advisory Committee has failed to address ECE sector and stakeholder inequities—raising serious concerns.
The ECAC review was a closed-shop exercise: only sitting committee members were invited to give feedback on it, thus essentially rewriting the rules that govern their own influence.
There was no public scrutiny, no broad stakeholder input, no fresh perspectives.
And yet, in the words of one Ministry official, ECAC’s role is “in advising on the real-world impacts of policy.”
Moreover, key voices such as the OECE, the ECE Parents’ Council, OMEP Aotearoa, Child Poverty Action Group, and the Children’s Rights Alliance Aotearoa were never invited to the table.
Read the Full Details:
– Inward-focused, Not Outward-Facing
– Competitive Dynamics and Stakeholder Silencing
– Power Entrenchment Through Membership Rules
– Unbalanced Representation in ECAC
– Transparency Deficits in ECAC Operations
– Persistent Accountability Gaps
We welcome your thoughts and comments on ECAC. Add your reply below. What would a well-functioning, truly representative early childhood advisory committee to the Ministry of Education look like—one equipped with the knowledge, expertise, and diversity needed to provide meaningful, sector-wide advice?
