Need-to-know | Me mātua mōhio
Immunisation reminder for new enrolments
We cannot stress enough the importance of checking that all new enrolments are vaccinated. Two doses of measles vaccine after the age of 12 months is needed for children to be fully vaccinated. In some countries children receive the first dose before the age of 12 months and will therefore not be fully protected, but their parents may think they are.
As well as encouraging all staff to check their own immunisations, it’s important to take these opportunities to remind any new arrivals to check their immunisations are current for local diseases. People can do this by talking with their doctor or healthcare provider – they’ll also be able to help update their individual and family immunisation records in the Aotearoa Immunisation Register.
Immunisations are free for all babies and children under 18 years of age regardless of their visa status. Adults are entitled to many free vaccinations if they qualify for free healthcare in Aotearoa.
For more information, visit:
Emergency closure and infectious diseases for home-based services
Emergency closure funding can be requested when services are unable to operate because they cannot meet minimum staffing requirements due to a high number of staff, or an educator being unwell with an infectious disease.
This extension of emergency closure funding generally applies to the whole service closure; however, in a home-based service where an educator is not able to provide education and care due to an infectious illness, services can apply to their local Te Mahau offices for emergency closure approval to use absence funding in these instances. If approved, then normal absence funding rules apply.
Services will need to consider alternative options before emergency closure funding is approved, including offering other educator options to the family where an educator is not operating due to an infectious disease. Contact your local Te Mahau Office at the first available opportunity (within a few days) to gain approval.
If your service is facing operating issues because staff or educators are unwell with an infectious disease, contact your local Te Mahau office:
Sector consultation on the teachers' pay equity claim
All affected employees of the teachers’ pay equity claim will shortly receive information from NZEI Te Riu Roa on the upcoming consultation of the claim’s teacher interview findings. Affected employees include kindergarten teachers and teachers working for employers named in the claim.
Affected employees will be invited to participate in the consultation via an online survey. Participation is voluntary, and the consultation will run from 9 September to 18 October.
NZEI Te Riu Roa is responsible for communicating with affected employees.
More information will be available from 9 September on the Education Workforce homepage:
Heads-up | He kupu puaki
New oral language and literacy and maths resources
The latest Kōwhiti Whakapae content is now available to support the development of oral language, literacy, and maths for services using Te Whāriki (Te Ara Whānui). These resources were designed in collaboration with kaiako and other experts, and offer a range of tools to strengthen the teaching and assessment of those foundational skills. Find the resources here:
Strengthening progress through practice – Kōwhiti Whakapae
The new content also supports the development of skills that are the focus of the latest ERO (Education Review Office) report, ‘Let’s keep talking: Oral language development in the early years’. Read the report at:
Let’s keep talking: Oral language development in the early years – ERO
Early learning regulatory review
Submissions on the early childhood education sector review close on 31 August. Thank you to everyone who has taken time to provide the Ministry for Regulation with feedback so far – there is still time if you have not.
For information on the review, visit:
ECE regulatory sector review – Ministry for Regulation
To have your say, go to:
Education.govt.nz is changing
The technology platform for education.govt.nz is being replaced on 31 October. Following this, the site will be more stable and user-friendly.
A preview of the replacement site is available now for you to explore at:
Bulletins and newsletters (preview) – Ministry of Education
On 31 October, the bulletins will move to the replacement education.govt.nz and bulletins.education.govt.nz will redirect to their new location.
Until then, previous editions of our education bulletins remain available at:
Bulletins | Ngā Pānui (archive) – Ministry of Education
If you have any queries, email [email protected].
