Labour's extension of 20 hours free policy praised by former critics
The Minister of Education Trevor Mallard is being praised by former critics for announcing today that he will extend an
offer of free early childhood education from children attending community-owned centres only to those attending
privately-owned centres also.
Early Childhood Council chief executive Sue Thorne said today that Labour's announcement 'will redress an inequity that
would have given free early childhood education to millionaires in some parts of New Zealand and nothing to battlers in
others'.
Mrs Thorne said the Government's decision to extend its offer of 20 hours a week free early childhood education for
three and four year olds was 'a victory for common sense and fair play'.
The Early Childhood Council, that represents 850 education and care centres nationwide, has been an aggressive opponent
of the old policy 'because it was especially unfair to working families', Mrs Thorne said.
'Under the old policy the subsidy was available to children at community-owned centres only. The thousands at
privately-owned centres were to be excluded simply because they were attending privately-owned centres.
'This would have meant that poor families in areas with little or no community provision would have been paying for
early childhood education accessed free by wealthier parents in parts of New Zealand with plentiful community
provision.'
Mrs Thorne said that many parts of New Zealand had 'very few or no community-owned all-day education and care centres.
'Under the old policy thousands of children in these areas would have missed out entirely on the free education' she
said.
'And this would have been wrong because the ability of children to access government support should be a matter of need
and not a matter of where you happen to live.'
'It is very encouraging to see that this government has accepted this to be the case and has changed its policy
accordingly.' 'Community-owned and privately-owned services are all required to meet the same regulatory, staffing and
accountability requirements so it makes perfect sense that children attending these services be treated the same for
funding purposes.' said Mrs Thorne
Details of how the policy will work in practice need to be worked through to ensure that centres will be able to
continue to provide the high quality education that parents and children currently enjoy. The Early Childhood Council
looks forward to working constructively through these details with the Minister.
The Early Childhood Council, which Mrs Thorne heads, represents 850 New Zealand community and private early childhood
centres that look after more than 45 thousand preschoolers.
It commissioned a recently-released report (31 July, 2005), Putting Children First, that was highly critical of the old
20 free hours policy that excluded privately-owned centres.
Backgrounder – areas of New Zealand likely to benefit most from the decision to extend the 20 hours free policy
Under the old policy those living in areas of New Zealand with few places in licensed all-day community education and
care centres would probably have missed out on the Labour offer of the free 20 hours. Those living in areas with no
places would almost certainly have missed out.
Labour's announcement today thus most benefits young families in the following areas.
In alphabetical order areas with few community-owned centres (community centres comprising 30 per cent or less of
licensed places in all-day education and care centres) include: Cambridge, Kerikeri, Morrinsville, Mount Maungani, North
Shore City (Auckland), Rangiora, Taupo, Tauranga and West Auckland.
In alphabetical order areas with absolutely no licensed all-day community education and care centres include: Arrowtown,
Awanui, Balclutha, Carterton, Clive, Dairy Flat, Dunsdale, Edendale, Gore, Hanmer Springs, Havelock-North, Hokitika,
Kaeo, Kaikohe, Katikati, Kihikihi, Leeston, Mangawhai, Martinborough, Mount Ruapehu, Ngaruawahia, Ngongotaha, Orewa,
Otorohanga, Paeroa, Paihia, Putaruru, Raglan, Renwick, Riverton, Rolleston, Ruakaka, Taipa, Te Aroha, Te Kauwhata,
Temuka, Waihi, Waihi Beach, Waipu, Waipukurau, Warkworth, Wellsford, Whakatane, Whangamata, Whangaparaoa and Winton.
ENDS