Too many babies and toddlers getting a raw deal in ECE

Too many babies and toddlers getting a raw deal in ECE

6 August 2015

A new government report showing that 46 per cent of early childhood services are not doing enough to help under-twos learn is no surprise to those teaching in the sector.

NZEI Te Riu Roa President Louise Green said the government’s obsession with raising participation was having a negative impact on quality.

“It shouldn’t surprise anyone that our youngest children are not getting the benefit of our world-renowned early childhood curriculum, Te Whāriki, when centres can have as few as 50 per cent qualified teachers. Untrained staff on minimum wage don’t understand child development or how to turn a simple interaction into a teaching moment. Teachers tell us that in some large, profit-focussed centres, staff are more in the role of crowd control,” she said.

“The government has made it even harder for centres to afford qualified teachers because it will no longer fund more than 80 per cent of staff at qualified teacher rates. Services that are committed to quality and 100 per cent trained teachers have to fund the shortfall, and they are struggling.”

NZEI Te Riu Roa agrees with the report that positive learning experiences are influenced by investing in high quality leadership, a reflective professional culture, and ongoing whole of staff professional development.

“The report echoes our position on the hallmarks of quality ECE, including good teacher-to-child ratios, small group sizes, roll size and teacher qualifications and sustained professional development,” said Ms Green. (page 12)

“It is very difficult for services and centres to meet these standards, because quality costs money.”

Any hope of extra funding to maintain quality standards in the 2015 Budget disappeared with theannouncement of just $74.9 million over four years to cover increased and earlier participation in ECE. Centres effectively face a funding cut with no increase in the ECE operations grant to account for inflation.

NZEI calls on the government to fund services to hire 100 per cent qualified teaching staff.

The Ministry’s response in The New Zealand Herald article is disappointing because it is evident that other interventions like professional development and proactive involvement in low-performing services are needed.

Ms Green said the Government had known about poor practice in infant and toddler education and care since the 2011 Office of the Children’s Commissioner report, which highlighted similar concerns.

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