State Of The Sector: Early Childhood Education Heading In Wrong Direction Say Teachers In Workforce Survey

Almost three quarters of early childhood teachers feel their sector is heading in the wrong direction, according to a newly released workforce survey report by education union NZEI Te Riu Roa.

The Kōriporipo Early Childhood Education Workforce Survey Report 2024, the union’s second annual survey of the early childhood sector and the largest in Aotearoa in recent years, paints a grim picture of the working reality for many early childhood teachers.

It shows teachers' overwhelming concern about the effect of minimum ratios and workload on children’s education as the needs of tamariki continue to grow, and their fear that conditions could get worse should the Government deregulate further.

More than 90% agreed that the current minimum regulated ratios do not enable the best quality learning environment for tamariki. Although for-profit provider lobby group, the Early Childhood Council, has advocated for the removal of minimum regulated ratios, 70% of respondents say it’s already impossible to satisfy health and safety requirements at the current required levels.

Around 73% agreed or strongly agreed that they were worried about the health and safety implications of deregulation, with nearly 90% concerned that increased workloads on teachers were compromising their ability to provide high-quality early learning.

NZEI Te Riu Roa National Executive representative and early childhood teacher Virginia Oakly says the issues early childhood teachers face will be exacerbated by the Government’s obvious preference for enabling the pursuit of profit over the rights of children to high-quality early learning.

“Those working in early childhood education know the Government's current direction will further worsen conditions for children's learning, erode their rights as children, and hamper their start to life and their education journey,” she says.

“Teachers do this mahi because they are dedicated professionals who believe in the mana of tamariki and want to support them to thrive – as the survey shows, often sacrificing their own needs to ensure the needs of the children in their care are met.”

Oakly says teachers are appalled to see the Government already pursuing its deregulation agenda – right on the heels of the submission period for its regulatory review and before any final report has been produced – which is driving cuts to teacher pay, putting quality education at risk, and enabling greater profit to be made out of children's learning.

“This results of this survey make it absolutely clear that undermining teachers and children in favour of businesses is not the answer and will have grave repercussions for kaiako and tamariki.”

It also showed a clear difference between private versus not-for-profit and community-based providers. In general, workplace stresses and conditions were found to be worse in the private sector, with nearly 70% of private sector respondents strongly agreeing that increased workload had caused educators to be more stressed at work.

Despite the challenges, many kaiako spoke about the deep sense of purpose they have about their mahi and their commitment to providing high-quality, culturally responsive education that sets children up for a life of learning, says Oakly.

“What will make a positive difference to their working lives is dealing with the issues teachers are telling us about over and over again: sustainable minimum teacher-child ratios, learning support for children who need it, and protecting teachers and children by ensuring safe working and learning environments.”

Parents, included in the survey for the first time, did not support deregulation, with almost all agreeing teachers should be paid pay parity with primary teachers. More than 90% also expressed safety fears should current minimum ratios get worse.

Te-Whanganui-a-Tara parent Miranda Ferrier says: “It’s really disheartening, and I worry that the sector is so in crisis. The Government is not putting the value that it should on early childhood kaiako and all the support that they require.”

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