1 March, 2013
Immediate Release

Every child deserves the Best Start – campaign launch

A five-year campaign to invest in early childhood education and give every child the best start in life is being launched on Children’s Day, March 3, at the Carter Observatory in Wellington.

NZEI Te Riu Roa National President Judith Nowotarski says the campaign sets goals for improving quality in early childhood services. She says government funding cuts to Early Childhood Education (ECE) since 2010 have begun to both erode quality and increase costs to parents.

“The government’s own figures released yesterday show that its goal of 98 percent participation in ECE by 2016, is unlikely to be achieved at the current rate of increase.

Growth in ECE enrolments has slowed to its lowest rate since before the introduction of 20 Hours ECE in 2007 [i], and this is likely to be directly linked to the increased costs of ECE to families, she says. The Government froze funding to mainstream ECE services in last year’s budget, effectively cutting services’ budgets.

“We think it’s vitally important that the New Zealand community knows what quality early childhood education looks like and how important it is to our children and our wider community.

She says government cuts are a particularly short-sighted approach when research has shown that for every dollar invested in early childhood education, $17 is saved in welfare and justice system costs in later life.

“Early Childhood Education is the foundation for good social and communication skills, emotional wellbeing and a love of learning that children will carry through their lives.

“It is a great cause for concern that earlier gains such as a goal of having 100% qualified teachers in ECE centres have been dropped and centre sizes have been allowed to balloon out to 150 children.

“Quality ECE is crucial for all children but is particularly important for those children who come from low socio-economic backgrounds.”

NZEI says research shows that “five star” high quality ECE is associated with:

• 100 percent qualified teachers

• Good child to adult ratios

• Small group sizes

• Positive relationships

• A warm and loving learning environment

“We need the Government to commit more money in the next Budget to this vital part of a child's education.”

The All Kids Deserve the Best Start campaign will be launched at the Carter Observatory in a “Reach for the Stars” day on Sunday, 3 March.

The day will include a free planetarium show, face painting, craft activity, scavenger hunt and a sausage sizzle.

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