November 15, 2004

NZEI Supports Early Childhood Education Awareness Week

The country’s largest education union supports Early Childhood Education Awareness Week which began today.

The event is organised by Te Tari Puna Ora o Aotearoa/ the New Zealand Childcare Association to highlight the importance of early childhood education.

NZEI Te Riu Roa represents 43,000 members working in all four education sectors: early childhood, primary, secondary and tertiary. Of this total 3500 NZEI members work as teachers and support staff in early childhood education centres.

“We fully support Early Childhood Education Awareness Week,” says NZEI Te Riu Roa National President, Colin Tarr.

“This year’s celebrations comes a month after NZEI gained pay parity for a thousand early childhood teachers working primarily in community-owned not-for-profit services.”

“This was an historic achievement as it will lift their salaries to the same level as teachers working in primary and secondary schools and free kindergartens.”

“This provides real recognition that the work early childhood teachers do is as important as their colleagues in primary and secondary schools and should be given equal value.”

“NZEI members support Early Childhood Awareness Week because they know from working in the education system how important it is for children to receive quality early childhood education.”

“This is because it lays a foundation on which children can build as they progress through primary and secondary school and on to tertiary education or into the workforce,” says Colin Tarr.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

NZEI Te Riu Roa

New Zealand Educational Institute

NZEI Te Riu Roa members work in every community in New Zealand, leading and advocating for quality public education.

We are the 50,000 principals, teachers and support staff who work in primary, area and secondary schools as well as early childhood centres, special education and school advisory services. We come together as NZEI Te Riu Roa - New Zealand's largest education union, a Treaty based organisation and a powerful advocate for quality public education.

We have the most important job in New Zealand - educating for the future.

CONTACT NZEI TE RIU ROA

• Website - www.nzei.org.nz
• Facebook
• Media Contact - media@nzei.org.nz
• Support - Stand Up For Kids

• Email - nzei@nzei.org.nz
• YouTube
• Phone - 04 382 2703
• Support - Best Start