New Zealand Playcentres - a possible model for Pacific early childhood education?

(From PacNews)

21 OCTOBER 2003 NADI, FIJI --- Could the playcentre model - an early childhood educational option unique to New Zealand - meet the early childhood education needs of the Pacific? This was a question posed by New Zealand primary school teacher Olwyn Bolitho at a regional conference on Rethinking Educational Aid in the Pacific, held in Nadi yesterday (20 Oct) "The key features of playcentres are child-initiated free play, and putting a parent in place of a trained teacher," explained Ms Bolitho, who is a session supervisor and adult education officer at Pinehaven Playcentre in New Zealand. The centres operate as a parent cooperative, and emphasise the …