Playcentre Challenges Minister to Support Parents

Playcentre Challenges Minister to Support Parents

Media Release

25 May 2007

The New Zealand Playcentre Federation today welcomed the Education Minister, the Hon. Steve Maharey to its 60th anniversary Conference, and challenged him to support the role of parents in education.

Playcentre is a network of 505 community-based centres, run as family co-operatives and offering early childhood education of the highest standard. A special feature of Playcentre is that parents are trained as educators at the same time as their children are participating in high quality sessions.

In a question session following Mr. Maharey’s presentation, the Minister emphasised the value of parents as educators.  “A strength of the sector is … the notion of parents as competent and able to teach,” he said.  He noted that the Government was taking steps, such as the Team-Up programme which followed the Playcentre principle of parents as their children’s most important educators.

In acknowledging Playcentre’s role as a leader, he expressed a desire to work collaboratively. “We’ll look at your innovations and provide resources,” he promised.

Delegates also challenged Mr. Maharey to ensure that Playcentre’s high quality education was promoted equally with other services in the sector, a message he acknowledged, saying that his department needs to tell parents that  “[Y]ou can also go to [another] quality service, Playcentre.” .

Other topics discussed included discretionary grants, funding models and support for Playcentre’s parent education programme.

END

© Scoop Media