20 Hours Free ECE for 3730 Wellington children

3 July 2007

Around 3730 three and four year old children will be benefiting from 20 hours free early childhood education at 104 services across Wellington.*

Announcing the local figures, Labour MP Charles Chauvel said uptake of the Labour-led Government's 20 Hours Free ECE policy was a vote of confidence in the initiative.

"Parents taking up free ECE can save up to $4500 a year; that's great news for young Wellington families," said Charles Chauvel.

The Labour-led government's 20 Hours Free ECE policy cuts the cost for families and boosts access for parents of three and four year olds enrolled at teacher-led centres.

"The local kids are amongst 9250 children across the Wellington region and over 65,000 across New Zealand receiving twenty hours of free early childhood education," said Charles Chauvel.

Free ECE for up to 20 hours a week is available to children aged three or four who are enrolled at kindys, and teacher-led centre-based or home-based ECE services, regardless of how much the parents earn or where they work.

The policy is one of the most significant changes to the education system since the rollout of free secondary education by the first Labour government in the 1930s. Take-up amongst ECE services has been strong, but more are still applying to the Ministry of Education.

"There's been a hugely positive start to getting this policy rolling, and we want to build further from here. The government wants to transform the early childhood sector, professionalising more teachers, regulating quality and focussing on education over childcare to lay a foundation for children's future learning," said Charles Chauvel.

For more information on centres taking up 20 Hours Free ECE, please see www.teamup.co.nz/earlyyears.

ENDS

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