Labour MP Shane Jones slams ECE sector

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

15 March 2007

Labour MP Shane Jones slams ECE sector

Labour MP Shane Jones has slammed commercial operators in the early childhood sector as money hungry profit-seekers, says National's Associate Education spokeswoman, Paula Bennett.

In a 1 March article, published in Northland's Bay Report, Mr Jones said opposition to Labour's '20 free hours' election promise was driven by a profit-thirsty private sector.

"The current brouhaha over the Government's promise of 20 hours free early childhood education is being driven by a minority of commercial providers more concerned with profits than educating our younger generation.

"Commercial operators are doing it for lucre, we are doing it for love of education," Mr Jones wrote.

Jones said staff currently working in the sector were 'untrained and unsuitable' and needed improving.

"I would suggest Shane Jones gets in touch with the sector and finds out a little more about early childhood education and Labour's '20 free hours' hoax before he goes mouthing off in the media," says Miss Bennett.

"Clearly, the concerns over '20 free hours' run sector wide.

"Last week the Auckland Kindergarten Association, a not-for-profit organisation representing 10% of all children likely to be eligible for '20 free hours', said they would not opt into the scheme unless there were changes to the policy.

"If it was only the private sector concerned about making money, then why are the Auckland kindies so concerned?

"Mr Jones went on to refer to the Early Childhood Council as a 'minority'.

"Actually, the Council is the largest representative body of licensed early childhood centres in New Zealand. It has almost 1000 member centres, 40% of which are community owned, who employ 7000 staff and care for more than 50,000 children.

"Mr Jones' ridiculous rant on '20 free hours' was totally arrogant and perhaps the best indication we have had yet of the Labour Government's true attitude to the sector and parents."

ENDS