Kindergartens calling for fair funding

Kindergartens across the country are asking the Government to honour its commitment to restore 100 per cent funding for qualified early childhood education teachers, Alison Rudzki, CEO of Ruahine Kindergarten Association said today.

All our permanent teachers are fully qualified because we are committed to offering quality education at this crucial time in children’s development.

Learning and development are a key part of the Government’s Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy. There is so much research that points to the positive impact quality early childhood education has on children, their whanau and the wider community.

“Any money spent is returned ten times over yet the Government has not moved on restoring our funding, which was cut in 2011” Alison Rudzki said.

We offer a high-quality service nationally but are under strain from years of under-funding.

The Government will say it is putting more money into early childhood education, but that funding doesn’t provide significantly more funding per child, nor meet the funding needed to cover fully qualified teachers’ salaries.

Our parents help us in many ways, including contributing to five per cent of our costs, but most young families have limited budgets and cannot afford fee increases.

“We need to have the 100 per cent funding restored and annual funding rate increases that keep pace with rising costs,” Alison said.

“We have been waiting patiently for the Government to honour its commitment and given the focus on child wellbeing it’s more than disappointing that there has been talk but no action on this important issue,” Alison said.

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