Early Childhood Education at the Mangere Refugee Centre

Every year, New Zealand accepts 750 refugees from the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, and as part of their resettlement programme, all newcomers undertake a six-week orientation programme at the Mangere Refugee Centre. The programme aims to answer refugees’ questions about their new country and culture – including how to ensure their young children are well cared for and educated.

To meet this need, the early childhood education centre (located at the Mangere Refugee Centre and run by the Auckland University of Technology) provides a pre-school programme that reflects New Zealand’s early childhood curriculum, Te Whariki. A crucial part of the programme is a ‘partnership’ between parents and teachers, who together support the children’s learning.

Many refugee families (particularly mothers) have no formal education and are not literate in their own language, yet they need information if they are to feel comfortable in their new setting and empowered to make appropriate decisions for their children.

Recognising this issue – and a lack of resources currently available for newly arrived parents – the Todd Foundation’s General Fund is supporting the production of a multilingual DVD and picture booklet on early childhood education in New Zealand; how it works, what the children are taught and how parents can help their children in the learning process. The DVD and booklet will be used both at the Mangere Refugee Centre and at early childhood education centres throughout New Zealand that have refugee or migrant children on their rolls. Together, they will provide a useful and easily understood introduction for our new residents, helping them to become full and contributing participants in our society and their children’s education.