Tolley fails to make the grade on Early Childhood Education

The Government's only plan to increase participation in early childhood education is a watered-down version of the previous Labour Government's proposal to build early childhood facilities at South Auckland schools.

Labour’s Early Childhood Education spokesperson Sue Moroney said at today's Education and Science Select Committee hearing, Education Minister Anne Tolley admitted that increased funding for Kohanga Reo, Playcentres and for five year-olds in ECE would not increase the number of children accessing early childhood education.

"The Minister has repeatedly said that increasing participation in early childhood education is her top priority and yet her funding increases have not gone into" Sue Moroney said.

The Ministry of Education has estimated that 19,000 additional places will need to be found for preschoolers by 2011 just to keep participation rates at current levels and to improve the participation of Maori and Pacific children.

"The Minister is way off target for this and her only plan is for six new centres on school property in South Auckland - that's Labour's proposal cut by one third. Labour had committed $9m to establish 9 early childhood services in Manukau," said Sue Moroney.

“However, Anne Tolley has actually set no funding aside for the proposal to increase the number ECE centres in Auckland as she said it doesn't need extra money. This is a ridiculous statement from a Minister who is clearly struggling in her portfolio.

“Since becoming Minister of Education, Anne Tolley has scrapped a plan to improve child – teacher ratios, cut funding for teacher professional development and reduced standards for ECE centres,” Sue Moroney said.

“National promised more young children would access better quality education but under Anne Tolley is failing to achieve these objectives.”

ENDS

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