Attracting and Retaining Diverse Kaiako in Early Childhood Education in Aotearoa New Zealand

  • Veronica Griffiths Te Pūkenga | New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology
  • Erin Hall Te Pūkenga | New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology
  • Derek Hartley Te Pūkenga | New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology
  • Fleur Hohaia-Rollinson Te Pūkenga | New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology
  • Jenny Malcolm Te Pūkenga | New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology
  • Kerry Purdue Te Pūkenga | New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology
  • Alice Tate Te Pūkenga | New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology
Keywords: ECE, kaiako diversity, ITE

Abstract

Aotearoa New Zealand is a bicultural nation with a superdiverse society, a feature which presents opportunities and challenges for our early childhood education (ECE) sector (Chan & Ritchie, 2020). A primary challenge within the sector is achieving, in accordance with the partnership, protection and participation principles of te Tiriti o Waitangi and the Treaty of Waitangi, equitable educational outcomes for Māori tamariki (children) as well as for tamariki from the many other minority groups attending ECE services. An important over-arching policy initiative in this regard is growing and sustaining a quality ECE teacher workforce that reflects and represents Aotearoa New Zealand’s increasingly diverse society (Ministry of Education, 2019). Research evidence suggests that such a workforce can make a positive contribution to ensuring more equitable educational environments for diverse tamariki, their whānau (family and extended family) and their communities. Our study investigated barriers to and facilitators of attracting diverse kaiako (teacher) to ECE in Aotearoa New Zealand and retaining them once there. Although our research showed some positive developments in this regard, it also indicates much work is still needed to ensure our ECE teacher workforce and workplaces are representative of and inclusive towards diversity. We hope this research and its recommendations will create further discussion and reflection around the opportunities and challenges still ahead of us in working towards a world-class inclusive ECE education system for all (New Zealand Government, 2019).

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Published
2022-12-17
How to Cite
Griffiths, V., Hall, E., Hartley, D., Hohaia-Rollinson, F., Malcolm, J., Purdue, K., & Tate, A. (2022). Attracting and Retaining Diverse Kaiako in Early Childhood Education in Aotearoa New Zealand. Teachers’ Work, 19(2), 104-118. https://doi.org/10.24135/teacherswork.v19i2.342
Section
Articles