EIT to offer early childhood teaching degree through Gisborne/Tairāwhiti campus

Degree level studies in early childhood education will be available at the EIT campus in Tairāwhiti from next year. EIT Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Education) graduate Rebecca Davidson is pictured with two of her young charges.

EIT will offer a Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Education) qualification in Tairāwhiti for the first time next year in response to demand from the sector.

It would give local students the opportunity to train as early childhood teachers without leaving the region, an EIT release said.

The move follows two years of offering the New Zealand Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care (Level 5) in Tairāwhiti.

“It comes in response to strong demand from students and early childhood centres for a degree-level qualification that leads to teacher registration,” EIT education and social sciences head Zac Anderson said.

“The feedback from stakeholders made it clear that more was needed beyond the diploma.

“Educational outcomes and employment opportunities were limited for graduates who only completed Level 5. They couldn’t become registered teachers, which meant fewer pathways.”

The first year of the diploma is identical to the first year of the degree, allowing students to exit early if needed, or continue towards registration.

From next year, EIT will offer the first and second years of the degree in Tairāwhiti.

Anderson said current diploma students had already indicated they wanted to continue.

“The vast majority of diploma students go on to complete the full degree. That’s what we’ve seen in Taradale and we believe the same will happen in Tairāwhiti.”

The Bachelor of Teaching (ECE) gets delivered in a field-based model. Students spend two days a week on campus and three days in an early childhood centre.

“It’s the best of both worlds for the students and the centres. They’re working with people from their own community and supporting them to become qualified teachers.”

Anderson said early childhood centres in the region had already expressed their support.

“I visited six centres in Gisborne last week and every single one was excited. They could already think of staff or people in their community who would benefit.

“This kind of access hasn’t existed before.”