Playcentre Funding Cuts Wont Happen
4 August 2011
John Key States That Playcentre Funding won’t be Cut
The prime minister John Key has today stated on the more FM radio channel that funding to Playcentre is not going to be
cut and he doesn’t know why the Early Childhood Education (ECE), taskforce recommended that it should be.
Key went on to say ‘It is beyond the life of me why they said that. Playcentre is the cheapest form of ECE and
Playcentre does a very good job “
Playcentres across the country have been involved in a lobbying campaign since the ECE taskforce report was released
with a proposal that two streams of funding be adopted. One for teacher led services and one for ‘other’ services. As a
parent led service Playcentre falls into the category of other, however Playcentres must meet all of the regulatory
requirements that other ECE services meet to run their centre based services.
Laine Barker Chairperson of the Canterbury Playcentre association says that “The news this morning is excellent and has
come as a huge relief to our centre whanau. We are so pleased that we will be able to offer to families and whanau the
same quality service that we have been offering for the last 70 years in New Zealand”
The Canterbury Playcentre association will go continue with a planned march on Sunday, however this march will now be a
celebration of our organisation as a respected and a positive option for early childhood and whanau participation
ENDS