New Zealand's National Party plans to sharply restrict screen time in early childhood education and primary schools

The re-elected New Zealand National Party aims to revive traditional learning methods by limiting screen time for children under eight, emphasising books, handwriting, conversation, and hands-on activities as part of a broader overhaul of early education standards.

A re-elected National government would move to remove screen time from early childhood education centres and sharply reduce it in the first three years of primary school, in a policy aimed at putting more weight on books, handwriting, conversation and hands-on learning.

According to RNZ, the party says young children learn best through direct interaction with teachers and other children, rather than by defaulting to digital devices. Education spokesperson Erica Stanford has argued that New Zealand is not alone in rethinking the role of screens in classrooms, and that technology should support teaching rather than replace it. National says it is also drawing on research that links heavier screen use in early childhood with weaker academic performance and poorer working memory, although it accepts those studies do not prove screens were the direct cause.

The policy is part of a broader early childhood education package that would include a new School Start Check before children move into primary school. National says the check would not be a pass-or-fail test, but would set out the milestones children should be working towards, including toileting, eating and dressing independently, as well as being able to hold a pencil. The party also wants clearer developmental benchmarks throughout early childhood education, with progress reported to parents and extra help directed to children who need it.

National would also require the writing sections of twice-yearly primary school assessments to be completed on paper. The move fits with the party’s wider education agenda, which also includes banning cellphones in schools and pushing a stronger focus on the basics, including reading, writing and mathematics.