Jacinda’s ‘One Big Blue Sky Idea’ For Free ECE Is Not New

An Opinion from: Helen May

Emeritus Professor, University of Otago

Life Member, Te Rito Maioha Early Childhood New Zealand

“Let’s Get moving” and “Let’s do this” NOW

In an interview at the weekend Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, said that despite a “long list” of ideas if she “had to pick one it would be to make early childhood education completely free” (NZ Herald 6 November 2022). The Prime Minister made an excellent case for the known benefits of free ECE for families, children and society particularly at a time when families are experiencing cost of living stresses. It is a pity that Prime Minister concludes that “It’s such a shame that it is just so expensive.” I disagree.

The idea is not new but political timidity has clouded the sky:

• In 1989 the Before Five reforms championed by David Lange’s Labour Government were intended to redress the inequities of the early childhood sector in relation to schooling sector as as well the inequitable funding across the ECE services. As a member of the funding working party Professor Crispin Gardiner costed the “big idea” at around 2 billion dollars. A government subsidy for all children up to 30 hours a week was eventually recommended and step one implemented, but the incoming National government cut back the plan, thereafter leaving childcare funded less than kindergartens and the ECE underfunded in comparison with schools.
• In 2001 working party members, including myself, of the Labour Government’s 10 year early childhood strategic plan, recommended that ‘every child have a right to a free early childhood education.’ The Minister of Education Trevor Mallard, responded that this was ‘blue skies thinking’ and we needed to be more ‘fiscally responisible’; phrases from the Minister’s speech notes at the launch of my book Politics in the Playground: The world of early childhood in Aotearoa (2001). The working group softened the idea to assure Ministerial acceptance of the report to include the wording ‘almost free’.
• Interestingly, Minister Mallard asked his officials to cost the “big idea” and yes the sums were large and to his credit against the advice of government departments including the Ministry of Education Mallard took the idea of free ECE to Cabinet. In the 2004 Budget the government announced ‘20 hours Free ECE’ for all three and four year olds. The big idea was curtailed but still a win. This was introduced alongside Labour’s other big policy idea of 100% qualified teachers in the sector.

A National Government was elected in 2008. “20 Hours Free ECE” was changed to a “20 Hours ECE” subisdy and withdrew funding support for centres with 100% qualfied teachers.

The Labour Party election slogan of “Let’s do this” has now become “Let’s Keep Moving”. I suggest that the Government needs to run with Jacinda’s “big idea” for “completely free ECE” to “get moving” and “do this” NOW.

Despite the aspirational promises of Minister of Education, Chris Hipkins, progress on the Early Learning Action PLan has been disappointing, limited mainly to the incomplete pay parity roll out. Significant benefits for children and parents have yet to be realised with promised improvements to child ratios scheduled in the future and no plan to expand free ECE – that is unless Prime Minister’s “big idea” gains traction. However, a Sunday speech to the Party Conference indicates that childcare is on the Prime Minister’s mind, with her plan to lower the income threshold for the childcare fee subisdy to be paid to parents. This had been frozen by National in 2010.

What would be the maximum cost of “completely free” full time ECE cost for all under five year olds? A quick calculation is easy.

1) There are 303,520 children under five years olds. Let’s use that figure, although the actual number of children and uptake of hours is likely to be less.

2) The proposed quality child-staff ratios would, on average across under and over two year olds, correspond to requiring approximately one teacher for every 5 children. We would need 60,700 full time ECE teachers.

3) Pay parity with kindergarten/primary/secondary for all ECE teachers with an average salary of about $70,000 means a salary bill of $4,249,140,000.

4) Typically salaries make up about 80% of the cost of running an ECE centre, with property, administration, and operations., making up the other 20%. Adding this on, we get a grand total of $5,311,425,000 for completely free fulltime ECE for all children under five. Current government expenditure (2021) is $2,268,636,000.

Is $5,311,425,000 affordable? It is a matter of political priorities. For a start, the 1 billion dollars allotted to implement Minister Michael Wood’s one stop transport ticketing project might give better value for money in the ECE budget. Free ECE is an investment in the social infrastructure of our society, a view once championed by the political commentator Colin James, who stated

Early childhood education takes us deep into a zone of policy debate: on citizens’ access to participation in our economy and society. So early childhood education is investing in infrastructure, just like building roads. It is arguably Labour’s most important initiative, its biggest idea. It will be [Trevor Mallard’s] memorial too. (Otago Daily Times, 19 February 2008).

And indeed, the recently retired Speaker, Trevor Mallard, is fondly remembered as a Minister who delivered on some ‘big ideas’.

If Jacinda and Labour need one big blue sky idea with immediate and long lasting benefit - Free ECE is it.

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