Key points
The aim of early childhood education is to promote children's learning and development. Evidence from New Zealand and international research shows that the early years of childhood are vital to a child’s development and future ability to learn. Quality early childhood programmes prepare young children socially, physically and academically for entry into primary education and can help narrow the achievement gap between children from low-income families and those from more advantaged families.
- There has been an increasing rate of participation by Waikato children in Early Childhood Education (ECE) services, however the ECE participation rate of Māori children remains relatively low compared to other ethnic groups.
Early childhood attendance by Year 1 students, Waikato Region and New Zealand
Source: Ministry of Education/MSD Social Report
What agencies are doing
Information currently being collated.
What you can do to help
Information currently being collated.
More information
More detail on this indicator, including how and where this information is collected, is available here.
What we want to achieve
The community outcomes we are seeking to achieve by increasing participation in early childhood education are:
- Education provides opportunities so we can reach our full potential as individuals and contribute to the well-being of the whole region.
- Maori enjoy the same quality of health, education, housing, employment and economic outcomes as non-Maori.