Quality teaching needed to underpin quality curriulum

Quality teaching needed to underpin quality curriulum for our youngest learners

4 November 2016

NZEI Te Riu Roa has welcomed the Minister of Education's commitment to a quality curriculum in early childhood education, but says the funding to support quality teaching needs to be restored urgently.

The Minister today announced a review of the early childhood curriculum, Te Whaariki because a "quality curriculum and excellent implementation" of it was a critical foundation for all young learners.

The National Government cut funding to 100% qualified teacher services in 2009, removed funding to support beginning teachers and has effectively frozen ECE service funding over the past six years.

NZEI National Secretary Paul Goulter said he couldn't agree more with the Minister's statement, but the Government urgently needed to put their money where their mouth was. Excellent implementation of a quality curriculum required trained and well-supported teachers, he said. The current funding freeze was instead creating pressure on services to cut teachers and replace them with cheaper unqualified staff.

"Every child is worth a great start in life," he said. "New Zealand can afford to provide the best early childhood education in the world. That means restoring funding for 100% qualified teachers in early childhood education and sustainable funding for services to deliver quality learning for all children."

NZEI Te Riu Roa is launching a new campaign to restore funding and quality to early childhood education on Monday.

What: NZEI Te Riu Roa launches a new ECE campaign to restore funding and quality to ECE

Where: Hill Street Early Childhood Centre, 66 Hill Street Thorndon, Wellington

Who: Louise Green, NZEI President; Andrea Shepherd, ECE teacher; Amelia Handscomb, parent; and Hill Street children.

When: 10 am Monday, November 7

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