Govt's Innovative fund opens to ECE

The Government has extended its multi-million dollar fund for innovative teaching projects to staff in early education.

Teachers at schools and kura across New Zealand have been benefiting from the Fund since 2014. Qualified ECE teachers have been eligible to apply in partnership with primary and secondary teachers.

The extension means qualified ECE teachers and kohanga reo kaiako holding Tohu Whakapakari can now apply in their own right.

"I'm pleased to announce that teachers and kaiako from early childhood education services and kohanga reo can now apply for the $18 million Teacher-led Innovation fund (TLIF)," Education Minister Hekia Parata says.

"I have been really pleased to see schools running TLIF projects with their local ECE providers already," she says.

"Several of these are looking at ways to improve the transition for children starting primary school, whilst a school and ECE service in Canterbury are working together to better connect children's mathematical learning," Parata explains.

"Extending the fund to include early learning will encourage more innovative teaching practices to be explored and shared," she adds.

"It also makes sense to widen out the fund as we see more schools and early childhood education providers coming together through Communities of Learning | Kahui Ako.

Two rounds of TLIF are already running for schools and kura with 85 projects having been approved. These include schools working with the Royal New Zealand Airforce to increase student achievement in physics, partnerships with local Iwi focussing on agriculture, Māori Cultural Studies and Science, and innovative methods to improve students' and teachers Te Reo Māori skills.

A third round of TLIF is open for applications from teachers at schools and kura until 16 March 2017.

A separate funding round for applications from qualified ECE teachers and kohanga reo kaiako is open until 13 April 2017.