New early learning centre for Rototuna

Education Minister Trevor Mallard today opened a new early childhood education centre located on the new primary school site at Rototuna, Hamilton.

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The new service, managed by the Waikato Kindergarten Association, will operate as an all day service for 50 children including spaces for children under two year olds.

"This new centre will provide an important service to the Rototuna community. Ensuring children get access to quality early childhood education is critical to positive educational outcomes in the future," Trevor Mallard said.

"This service is a new venture for the association and it is great to see services being established that meet the needs of local families."

While opening the centre, Trevor Mallard also announced that the centre has been awarded establishment funding of $28,808 to assist with the purchase of extra equipment.

"This extra funding will help Rototuna Early Learning Centre get up and running, ensuring teachers have an opportunity to plan and set up the learning environment with quality equipment," Trevor Mallard said.

"Research shows that regular participation in early childhood education improves long term education results for children. Our government is committed to giving more of our youngsters the start they deserve by helping local communities to establish their own early childhood service.

"Unlike National, where thousands of families and their children will miss out entirely, Labour believes that every child needs quality education at this age as well.

"National has pledged to scrap our government's commitment to the 20 hours free policy, which effectively means that around 86,000 children and their families will miss out, in order to help pay for that party's tax cuts.

"We suspect Brash intends also scrapping the funding we are providing to build and expand new centres, like this one, to get more kids accessing good quality early childhood education."

ENDS

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