Pity the little children

Educators in the ECE sector were holding their breath ahead of announcements they fear will make early education more expensive for parents.
A wealth of research appearing in recent months has emphasized the clear link between quality early childhood education and significantly improved outcomes for children in later life, especially for vulnerable children.
The government’s own taskforce urged it to improve quality in the sector, with a return to “100% qualified” teachers and lower ratios.
“However, consultation on the report was very quick and rather token,” says ECE teacher NZEI national executive member Hayley Whitaker.
Educators and parents all around the country are calling on the government to boost funding to the sector, over and above roll growth and inflation. Changed to government policy are expected to be announced before the election.
Fees up
“ECE fees for parents have risen sharply in recent months, as kindergartens and centres struggle with funding cuts,” say Hayley.
“We can only hope the government will surprise us – and not lift fee controls on the ’20 hours’ policy, or introduce targeted funding that will increase fees to parents, or move to ‘market pay rates’, meaning lower pay and conditions, for educators.
“If parents are required to pay more then many children will receive fewer or no hours of ECE, including large numbers of those who most need it.”
NZEI is campaigning for government to invest 1% of GDP on ECE as recommended by UNICEF, up from the current level of 0.8%. A petition of 62,000 signatures was presented to Parliament in September.
New Zealand rates as 28th out of 30 OECD countries for child outcomes. Denmark, which ranks 1st, spends three times as much as New Zealand does on children aged under six. New Zealand children did well on literacy but health indicators, including hospitalisations and suicide, were shameful.
See recent reports on the benefits of ECE by googling - 1000 days to get it right for every child, The Children’s Social Health Monitor, Left Further Behind – how policies fail the poorest children in New Zealand, An Agenda for Amazing Children.

New reports on ECE emphasize the need for governments to be innovative with programmes and research. The Wellington Kindergarten Association has developed a programme with WINZ whereby young men are offered work and training in kindergartens. Afakasi Tunupopo, a father of two, is working at the trilingual Nuanua Kindergarten in Porirua (Samoan, Tokelau, English). “It’s awesome. The boys want to hang out with me – we kick balls, talk a lot about rugby, and build things.” The children’s dads are also happier to spend time at the kindergartens when there are other males to talk to. The association is thrilled too. Seven of the eight trainees are bilingual meaning they’re a valuable language resource. “It’s going from strength to strength. The kids love it, the families love it - if at the end of the six months these young men want to try further training, we will support them,” says head of the association Amanda Coulston.