He Whānau Manaaki kindergartens, Aotearoa New Zealand: a pandemic outreach in new political times

ABSTRACT

This article is an early commentary on a kindergarten story from Aotearoa – New Zealand during the COVID-19 nationwide lockdown in 2020; detailing community outreach and new ways of providing a kindergarten experience for children at home. A backdrop to this commentary is the political context of a popular Labour-led government managing a pandemic with the intent to eliminate the virus, which few other countries considered possible. The onset of the pandemic coincided with a reinvigorated early childhood policy environment with the release in December 2019 of a ten-year action plan for the sector. Its future is unfolding in uncertain times.

KEYWORDS:

• New Zealand
• kindergarten
• COVID-19
• policy
• pedagogy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes on contributors

Helen May, is an Emeritus Professor from the University of Otago currently working voluntarily with He Whānau Manaaki Kindergartens on several projects. Helen has published and presented widely in the field of early childhood policy, history and curriculum.

Amanda Coulston has been the CEO of He Whānau Manaaki Kindergartens since 2003 and managed the expansion of the previous Wellington Regional Kindergarten Association incorporating several smaller associations, and community early childhood centres, including Pacifica services.

Notes

1 Accessed September 15, 2020. https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2020/03/30/nz-must-learn-lesson-protect-maori.html.

2 Accessed September 15, 2020. https://covid19.who.int/table.

3 Accessed September 15, 2020. https://www.who.int/westernpacific/news/feature-stories/detail/new-zealand-takes-early-and-hard-action-to-tackle-covid-19.

4 Accessed September 15, 2020. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/24/new-zealand-beat-covid-19-by-trusting-leaders-and-following-advice-study?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other.

5 Accessed September 15, 2020. https://www.treasury.govt.nz/publications/efu/pre-election-economic-and-fiscal-update-2020.

6 Accessed September 15, 2020. https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/covid-19-timeline-look-back-nz-responded-crisis-eliminating-all-active-cases.

7 Accessed September 15, 2020. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12344379.

8 Mitchell (2019).

9 Accessed September 18, 2020. https://www.wmkindergartens.org.nz.

10 Accessed September 18, 2020. https://covid19.govt.nz/business-work-and-money/financial-support/financial-support-for-individuals-and-whanau/.

11 Accessed September 28, 2020. https://www.tpk.govt.nz/en/whakamahia/whanau-ora/about-whanau-ora.

12 Accessed October 4, 2020. https://www.storypark.com/nz/.

13 Accessed September 3, 2020. https://www.stuff.co.nz/naJonal/educaJon/122626535/early-childhood-teachers-say-they-are-shovelready-as-they-call-for-pay-parity.