Regulations delay frustrating

27 November 2008

Regulations delay frustrating

New Zealand Kindergartens is frustrated the introduction of the new early childhood education regulations has stalled. The new regulations were to come into effect on Monday.

“The regulations were developed after extensive consultation with kindergarten associations, centre owners and managers, and teachers and parents in the sector over a four-year timeframe” says NZ Kindergartens Chief Executive Clare Wells.

“The regulations are about keeping children safe. They determine standards to ensure the health, safety and well-being of young children attending an early childhood care and education service. We took the time to develop the rules and as a result, they have been accepted by the vast majority of services” says Clare Wells.

All services will be re-licensed over a six-year timeframe and will have 18 months to comply if they do not meet the regulations immediately. “The timeframe gives services plenty of time to plan how they will meet the new licensing requirements” says Clare Wells.

“To engage in another round of consultation and face possible changes to the regulations is disappointing and frustrating” says Clare Wells.

“As one of our members commented ‘it would be preferable to see the costs of this additional consultation put to better use such as recruiting and training more teachers’” said Clare Wells.

ENDS

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