After more than three decades without structural reform, Aotearoa’s early childhood education (ECE) system is ready for renewal. The ECE Funding Review (MAG 2025) provides a framework to reflect, learn, and evolve. It is not about starting from scratch but about strengthening the good that already exists, including the commitment, innovation, and heart of the ECE sector.
As the Ministry of Education (2025) notes, this review seeks balance between access, quality, and sustainability. The aim is not to demand more of educators but to design systems that help them do their work more effectively, safely, and joyfully.
The goal is simple: a sector that protects children, values educators, and supports families.
1 - Engage: Recognising the Sector’s Strengths
ECE in Aotearoa is rich in relationships, innovation, and cultural depth. It already embodies the spirit of Te Whāriki, a woven mat that supports all learners to grow and belong. The review recognises that this strength comes from people: kaiako, whānau, and leaders who hold vision and care in equal measure.
Strengthening these foundations means continuing to engage openly, ensuring that policy reflects the realities of those delivering care on the ground. Collaboration, rather than competition, is key to enduring improvement.
2 - Enable: Supporting What Works
The Funding Review can enable success by aligning funding mechanisms with the daily work of quality teaching and protection. This includes:
- Embedding equity funding to support diverse communities.
- Providing resources for safeguarding training and reflective supervision.
- Funding manageable ratios and leadership release time.
- Simplifying compliance so that accountability supports, rather than burdens, practice.
OECD (2021) research suggests that when systems invest in quality conditions such as fair pay, safe ratios, and professional development, outcomes improve for everyone. The focus, therefore, is not on increasing control but on increasing capacity.
3 - Empower: A Shared Vision for Sustainability
Sustainability is not just financial; it is cultural and human. The Funding Review provides a chance to embed wellbeing, inclusion, and child protection into the definition of quality. As the Teaching Council of Aotearoa NZ (2024) reminds us through Our Code, Our Standards, professional care and ethical responsibility underpin every interaction in ECE.
Empowering sustainability means giving the sector the tools, time, and trust to adapt. It recognises that the wellbeing of kaiako directly shapes the wellbeing of tamariki.
When we invest in people, we invest in protection.
4 - Evolve: Building a System for the Future
Evolution in ECE does not mean constant change; it means intentional adaptation. The review can position Aotearoa’s system as one that learns from evidence and responds to new research in child development, neuroscience, and community engagement.
Long-term success will come from continued partnerships across government, iwi, and the sector, with a shared focus on outcomes that matter: safety, stability, and inclusion.
Sustainable change grows from steady, shared effort.
Closing Reflection
The 2025 ECE Funding Review is a step toward alignment between purpose and policy, people and protection. It invites collaboration rather than division, reflection rather than reaction. Together, we can shape an ECE system that reflects the best of who we are and the hopes we hold for our children.
Progress begins with partnership, and partnership begins with listening.
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Reflection Prompts
- What does sustainable change look like for your service or community?
- How can we ensure that protection, equity, and wellbeing remain central to funding priorities?
- Which parts of the current system are working well and should be strengthened, not replaced?
Inline References
- Ministry of Education (2025). ECE Funding Review (MAG 2025). education.govt.nz.
- Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand (2024). Our Code, Our Standards: The Code of Professional Responsibility and Standards for the Teaching Profession. teachingcouncil.nz.
- OECD (2021). Starting Strong VI: Supporting Meaningful Access and Quality in ECEC. oecd.org.
- Education Review Office (2024). Indicators of Quality for Early Childhood Education: Te Ara Poutama. ero.govt.nz.