Early Childhood Teachers Applaud New Funding for Early Childhood Education
Early Childhood teachers from North Canterbury Community Centres support the government’s budget initiatives to spend
more on early childhood education.
Research shows that quality early childhood education has positive benefits for children’s learning and behaviour in
school and in society.
“We are pleased that the government is finally recognising that, quality education means qualified staff, and qualified
staff cost more, so early childhood centres will need this extra funding as they move towards a fully qualified
workforce,” says Rangiora early childhood teacher, Kate McKay.
In addition, early childhood teachers need to be paid parity with their colleagues in the rest of the education sector.
“Teachers with the same qualifications and experience should receive the same pay regardless of the age children they
teach,” says Kate McKay.
Teachers applauded the government move to offer parents 20 hours of free education for three and four-year-olds, which
will help make early childhood education more accessible, however we’d like to see this implemented sooner why make
families wait until 2007 for this entitlement.
This far-sighted move will help struggling families, and will make life easier for the increasing number of families
where both parents work.
It is important that politicians from all political parties endorse policies which promote quality early childhood
education by ensuring all children are taught by qualified, registered teachers, that centres have enough money to pay
teachers properly, and that parents can afford to access that education.