Government serves families another kick with ECE cuts

PSA MEDIA RELEASE
Feb 1, 2011
For Immediate Use

Government serves families another kick with ECE cuts

The government’s funding cuts to early childhood education (ECE) are another blow to families already struggling with rising costs and static pay.

The funding cuts will affect around 2,000 early childhood centres and most are expected to pass on the budgetary loss by increasing their fees.

“Thousands of working families across the country will feel the impact of these cuts. For many it will be the last straw on top of GST, rising food and fuel prices, hikes on road charges and ACC levies,” says PSA National Secretary Brenda Pilott.

“Families simply can’t absorb all of these increases when the pay coming into households isn’t going up to cover them. That may result in some children being removed from ECE centres and that will put more pressure on working parents..

“The government estimates it will save more than $100 million from these cuts but the long term-costs to society could be much more.

“The benefits of ECE will go along with the funding cuts so the savings are short-sighted.

“We will be encouraging our members to sign a nationwide petition launched by the early childhood teachers union NZEI Te Riu Roa to reverse the funding cuts

New Zealand spends just 0.4 percent of GDP on early childhood education; that’s well below the OECD average and 0.6 percent less than the recommended spend on ECE by UNICEF.

“If the government really wants to lift New Zealand’s standard of living it makes sense to invest in the country’s very foundation – its children,” says Brenda Pilott.

ENDS

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