Govt underfunding leads to big rise in early learning complaints

20 October 2015

A big spike in complaints about early learning services are a direct result of five years of government underfunding, says NZEI President Louise Green.

Louise Green says she’s not surprised to hear that complaints around understaffing issues have almost tripled.

“Kindergartens and early childhood education centres are struggling to maintain quality teaching and learning.”

“The Government made a wrong and short-sighted decision in 2010 when it decided to no longer fund 100 percent qualified teaching in early childhood education.”

Just last week Whānau Manaaki Kindergartens, the association which runs 85 non-profit community based kindergartens in the Wellington region, announced it was looking at laying off qualified teachers after years of struggling financially.

“This is bad news for children and for quality education. The push for participation over quality will have long term consequences for children’s education – particularly those who are vulnerable.”

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