National promises screen ban in early childhood education

<p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>“Technology still has a place in education, but it should enhance learning, not become the default way children learn,” she said.</p> <p>“The direction internationally is increasingly clear. Particularly for young children, digital does not automatically mean better.</p> <p>“There is also growing evidence about the importance of handwriting and learning by hand. Forming letters helps children learn and retain information.