Govt under pressure from Ak Kindergartens Assoc

Paula Bennett MP National Party Associate Education Spokeswoman (Early Childhood)

2 March 2007

Govt under pressure from Auckland Kindergartens Assoc

Reports that Auckland Kindergartens are considering opting out of the Government's '20 free hours' scheme show how flawed the policy is, says National Party Associate Education spokeswoman Paula Bennett.

The New Zealand Herald reported today that the Auckland Kindergarten Association has hinted at concerns over the '20 free hours' scheme, and finds some aspects of the policy impractical.

"The Auckland Kindergarten Association represents 107 kindergartens and has huge respect within the early childhood sector.

"The Association says the Government's policy on optional charges is 'not practical and not realistic'.

"I am sure Ministry of Education officials will be trying every arm-twisting technique they can think of to make sure Auckland kindies accept this policy.

"The Ministry and Minister will be pulling out all the stops to ensure the kindies make a grand public statement and take this policy on - if they don't, it will undermine the entire scheme.

"These kindergartens, and the parents who send their children to them, were supposedly the very target of the Government's election promise.

"If the Minister had done more than simply announce this on the hop without any policy work to back it, he would know the cost of providing '20 free hours' is far greater than the rate being offered by the Labour Government, especially for centres in Auckland.

"He would also know that the complex set of funding streams for this policy mean throwing more money at the problem won't fix it.

"'20 free hours' is an impossible policy to deliver in its current form.

"The Minister tells us he will send in officials to show centres how to budget in order to make this scheme work. He says access to '20 free hours' is 'simple'.

"The Auckland Kindergarten Association clearly isn't buying into your propaganda Mr Maharey.

"Unlike the Labour Government, they deal in facts, figures and reality - not empty promises."

ENDS