5-year-olds in NZ have lower speaking skills due to COVID-19, impacting 66% of teachers, according to the Education Review Office.

5-year-olds in New Zealand are entering school with lower speaking skills due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study by the Education Review Office (ERO). Nearly 66% of teachers reported that Covid-19 has impacted children's language development, particularly social communication language skills. The ERO report suggests quality early childhood education can accelerate literacy by up to a year, and recommends removing barriers and increasing enrollment for children from poor families, as well as ensuring clear progress indicators for oral language in the school and early childhood curriculums.

August 21, 2024
10 Articles