_{Summarised by Centrist} 

The Early Childhood Council has accused the Ministry of Education of overreach after the sudden closure of Country Kindy, located between Feilding and Palmerston North, due to “curriculum issues.”

Despite hiring a curriculum expert who found no issues and having strong support from parents and staff, the Ministry of Education had ordered the centre to close this week. However, Associate Education Minister David Seymour has since granted a stay of 12 weeks. 

According to the original media report: “The Education Review Office’s (ERO) April 2022 report on the centre said affirmation of children’s culture, language and identity was not consistently reflected in the curriculum; learning partnerships with tamariki and whānau Māori were not evident; and the service had not made clear progress with previous recommendations in this area.”

Translation: According to the ERO, Country Kindy appears to have not ticked enough boxes for cultural buzzwords. They failed to showcase an ideologically perfect reflection of a particular culture, language, and identity in their curriculum. 

CEO Simon Laube noted that the children at Country Kindy are happy and engaged, attributing the “crazy” decision to the ministry’s focus on written policy over practical outcomes.

In Seymour’s statement on granting Country Kindy a stay, he noted: “If we can make it easier for educators to focus on children’s safety and learning, and less on the paperwork, then it will be the children who benefit most.” 

Read more over at Stuff and the Beehive