Knowledge Society and Early Childhood Education

Excerpt from Steve Maharey's Early Childhood Council Speech 2007

Knowledge society

Like most other nations, New Zealand is transforming to a knowledge society. A knowledge society is a key driver of the economy. Knowledge has always been important, but never as pivotal as it is now.

We are transforming New Zealand to a knowledge-based economy and society; a country producing high-value goods and services; a country competing on the global stage; a country where all New Zealanders have a strong sense of identity and achieve to the best of their abilities.

The development of a knowledge society is of huge importance to education. It requires us to transform the way we think about education and the way we think about knowledge.

Learners will need more than "one shot" of education that will serve them for life. They will need the skills for life-long learning. They will need to sustain the dispositions for learning that you are helping them to develop through quality early childhood education: to be curious, to ask questions, to explore and find out, to persevere and to be resilient.