Teacher supply relief package welcomed

The Education Minister’s moves to help relieve the shortage of early childhood teachers is a good start, says Te Rito Maioha Chief Executive Kathy Wolfe.

Te Rito Maioha Early Childhood New Zealand, New Zealand Kindergartens, Montessori New Zealand and the Early Childhood Council jointly met the Minister last week and appreciate that the Minister has listened and responded.

‘We discussed a number of issues including how to relieve teacher supply pressures in both the short and longer term, pay parity across the early learning sector and moving towards 100% qualified teachers’ says Ms Wolfe.

‘It is crucial that we are producing high-quality teachers for our youngest citizens. The campaign targeting new ECE teachers will help get more people into training.’ Being a teacher in early childhood education is inspiring and rewarding. It supports our youngest children’s learning and development.

Ms Wolfe says ‘we need to ensure that all ECE qualified teachers are paid at the same level as their primary school peers. People who put in the time and effort required to become qualified in ECE teaching should be properly paid’.

We still have some way to go for the early learning sector to recover. ‘We will continue to work in partnership with the Minister to develop a sustainable funding, resourcing and support model for the early learning sector’. We look forward to the Minister’s final announcement on the Early Learning Strategic Plan later this year.

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