Teachers ramp up funding call for quality ECE

Teachers ramp up funding call as children wait 2 years for quality ECE

12 December 2016

North Shore Early Childhood teachers and parents will tomorrow join a new push to increase the funding for quality ECE as some children are waiting longer than 2 years for a place in a quality service.

Parents hoping for a place for their child at Highbury House Early Learning Centre will need to wait at least 2 years, and will sometimes never get a place, as demand grows for high quality teacher-led ECE.

Teachers at the centre will tomorrow join with parents and children to support the Every Child is Worth it campaign for the restoration of funding to ECE, and an end to a six-year funding freeze.

"Every child deserves the best early childhood education, with small group sizes and 100 percent qualified teachers, like those at Highbury get," NZEI Early Childhood National Caucus member Julia de Jong said.

"But many children don't have the option of a high quality service. Their parents are forced to take whatever place is available, regardless of the quality."

According to the latest Early Childhood Education census from 2014, nearly 50 percent of education and care services, and more than 70 percent of Kindergartens have waiting lists, with some children waiting over 12 months for a place.

"The best way to guarantee every child a place in a quality service with small group sizes, high teacher to child ratios, and 100 percent qualified teachers, is to restore ECE funding and bring back the requirement for all teachers to be qualified," Ms de Jong said.

Since 2010 additional Government funding for ECE has been based on increased participation only, meaning services have faced real-term cuts to their core per-child funding. Per-child funding has dropped $500pa since 2010.

At the same time, the Government has cut funding for services that employ 100 percent qualified teachers, forcing many centres to take on unqualified staff, raise parents fees or increase teacher to child ratios to cope.

What: North Shore Launch of the Every Child is Worth it campaign.

Who: Teachers, parents, and children from Highbury Early Learning Centre, Julia de Jong, NZEI TRR Early Childhood National Caucus representative, Adele Hall, Highbury teacher, Kirsten Wyllie, Highbury parent.

Where: HIghbury House Early Learning Centre, 110 Hinemoa Street Birkenhead.

When: 2 to 3pm [time corrrected]

ends

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