Labour, the Green Party and Te Pāti Māori are uniting to stop the Government’s dangerous changes to the Early Childhood Education sector.

The Government’s Regulatory Review of ECE is being rushed through, with a Bill to be proposed in October that will negatively affect our youngest tamariki.

Together the opposition parties, with NZEI, will jointly hold public hearings around the country to hear from those affected.

“Early Childhood Education sets the foundations for the rest of a child's life. Yet, this is not reflected in the Government's approach, which is about prioritising the needs of business and profits above all else,” said Labour’s education spokesperson Jan Tinetti.

“There is widespread concern that the Coalition Government’s review will take education for our children backwards.

“That is why as an opposition we are uniting to stop the Government’s potentially disastrous changes. Together we will hear from affected parents, whānau, teachers, and community members on the changes we actually need to ensure child learning and development is our priority,” said Tinetti.

“If they were really interested in hearing from the public the Government would not be rushing an important process about an entire generation of our tamariki mokopuna with only six weeks of consultation. This Government does not intend to meaningfully consult anyone, so we must contest their agenda” said Tākuta Ferris, education spokesperson for Te Pāti Māori.

“For young tamariki mokopuna to have the best experience in early childhood education they need great teachers who are supported and happy in their jobs. To make sure that happens we need to improve ratios, make sure that teachers are trained and qualified, and decently paid. This review is not about solving these real issues, but instead it’s about pushing through changes to allow big businesses to cut costs and drive down employment conditions for workers,” said Green Party early childhood education spokesperson Teanau Tuiono.

Labour, Green and Te Pāti Māori MPs will be setting up public hearings and round table discussions across Aotearoa, calling for input from the public, including teachers, parents, and whānau.

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