The COVID-19 pandemic created a continual fluctuation in day-to-day operations. In August 2021 Aotearoa went into a chapter in its pandemic history comprised of a series of lengthy lockdowns, vaccination campaigns, spread of COVID-19 in the community, and a move from the “Four-level” lockdown system to a “Traffic-light” system. It was also the longest period of continuous online classes for a number of institutions traditionally oriented to face-to-face delivery, including the Otago Po…
Early childhood education (ECE) shapes children's socio-emotional development and later academic attainment, yet the practices that constitute quality provision vary across national systems. Aotearoa New Zealand's arrangements are distinctive: schooling is compulsory from age six, children may enrol from their fifth birthday, and schools may operate a transitional Year 0 with continuous or cohort intakes. This configuration produces classes with substantial variation in age…
Food waste is not only a financial and environmental issue but also a social problem. Billions of tons of food are thrown away while millions of people go hungry worldwide and it is costing billions of dollars in losses for businesses in the industry and causing harmful effects to the environment. The meal-kit industry is pushing to eliminate food waste through their business strategy of providing pre-portioned and pre-packed meals to their customers and by shortening the food supply c…