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Early childhood education
Early childhood education (ECE) is often seen as an opportunity to get a head start in schooling. Information gathered from the PILNA System Questionnaire shows that, although each country has policies regarding ECE, the structure and compulsory nature varies across participating countries. As part of PILNA, students were asked to indicate their ECE history using the following categories: ‘Yes, for 1 year’, ‘Yes, for 2 years’, ‘Yes for 3 years of more’, or ‘No’.
ECE Attendance
In Niue, most students from PILNA 2021 had attended at least one year of ECE. This was similar, on average, for boys (78%) and for girls (77%). There are differences, however, in the amount of time that students spent at ECE prior to their schooling. Table STT1.1 shows these ECE differences by year four students and year six students in Niue in PILNA 2021
More year four students (86%) than year six students (71%) attended at least one year of ECE. Interestingly, 10% of year four students and 21% of year six students reported attending ECE for three years or more. More year four students attended at least one year of ECE, but a greater proportion of year six students attended ECE for three or more years. Approximately 14% of year four students and 29% of year six students reported they did not attend any ECE at all.
ECE attendance and student performance
Statistical testing was done to learn whether there was a difference in student performance between students who had attended at least one year of ECE and students who had not attended any ECE. This was done at both the year four and year six levels. Year six students who participated in ECE had higher levels of achievement in reading and writing compared to those who had not. Interestingly, for year four an opposite correlation was observed. Year four students who participated in ECE had lower levels of achievement in reading and numeracy compared to those who had not attended ECE.
What does this mean?
In the region, most students (80%) who participated in PILNA 2021 attended ECE for at least one year. Similar proportions were observed across year four and year six students, showing ECE attendance rates were stable over time. ECE is compulsory in six out of the 15 countries that participated in PILNA 2021, but it is not compulsory in Niue.
In Niue, most students (year four, 86%; year six, 71%) attended at least one year of ECE. Differences were seen between year four and year six students. A greater proportion of year four students attended at least one year of ECE than did year six students, but a greater proportion of year six students attended three or more years of ECE. It may be that attendance rates for ECE are increasing as a greater proportion of year four students have attended ECE than year six students. The reasons for the longer attendance duration of year six students should be investigated.
