Paula Bennett MP
National Party Associate Education Spokeswoman (Early Childhood)

18 January 2007

Labour's 20-hours-free policy a myth

The Government knew that almost half of early childhood education services would not be able to meet demand for the 20-hours-free policy when it was promised to parents in 2005, says National's Associate Education spokeswoman, Paula Bennett.

Documents released under the Official Information Act show modelling of the policy by the Ministry of Education estimates 47% of services will have "little or no capacity" to meet demand for the 20-hours-free scheme, while 14% of services will not offer the scheme at all.

"The Ministry is still claiming on its website that there is space in services in most communities.

"Their own documents show that this simply isn't correct. In fact, the documents show only 35% of services will have adequate capacity to meet demand for the scheme and 4% will have surplus capacity.

"What is most concerning is that those in our poorer communities are again most likely to suffer. Because services must be teacher-led, it is rural communities and poorer communities that will miss out.

"The modelling also rests on assumptions that just don't seem to be reality. The Ministry assumes there will be a high uptake of early childhood education services taking on the 20-hours-free scheme, but when you start talking to the services, you find that is not the case at all.

"The Minister needs to front up to parents and give them the facts. The Government campaigned on 20 hours free, and yet had no idea how they were going to deliver. Their own figures show that they won't be able to.

"It's time to give parents the facts, not false hope, over the 20-hours-free policy."

ENDS

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