National is vowing to end screen and individual device use in early childhood education centres and introduce screen limits for primary school students if re-elected.
Under the party’s proposed Set Up for Success policy, screen use would be banned in ECE centres and “tightly limited” for children in Years 1-3, with age-appropriate limits introduced for older primary school students.
National's education spokesperson Erica Stanford said young children were spending increasingly longer on screens and greater emphasis should instead be placed on books, handwriting, conversation and hands-on activities.
“Technology still has a place in education, but it should enhance learning, not become the default way children learn,” she said.
“The direction internationally is increasingly clear. Particularly for young children, digital does not automatically mean better.
“There is also growing evidence about the importance of handwriting and learning by hand. Forming letters helps children learn and retain information. When children are first learning to read and write, that matters.”
The policy would also require the writing component of twice-yearly primary school assessments to be completed on paper.
Alongside the changes to screen use, National promised a new School Start Check aimed at identifying whether children needed extra support before moving from ECE to primary school.
Stanford said teachers were reporting more new entrants arriving without some basic skills, including being toilet trained or able to eat and dress independently.
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“Children are arriving at school having never held a pencil or scissors, without the oral skills they need, and many cannot identify letters in their own name,” she said.
The proposed check would see ECE centres work with parents to assess a child’s readiness for school, alongside clearer developmental milestones and regular reporting on their progress.
Children identified as needing extra support would be referred to the Early Intervention Service.
“This is about setting expectations, not a pass/fail test and will never stop a child starting school,” Stanford said.
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