First the 20 hour policy was seen as a positive policy as it promoted pay equity between staff as the role of quality staff was being promoted.
With the change of government from Labour, National now was in power and they reviewed the current finances and budgeting for the ECE sector. National decided that ECE did not need to be allocated as much funding because the other sectors of education were seen as being more important, this included primary and secondary schools. By contrast Labour valued and recognised the importance of quality ECE for children. Trevor Mallard the Labour educational minister developed the ECE teacher resource Pathways to the Future: Ngā Hurahi Arataki (2002), this resource was to promote quality through a strategic plan (ten year plan) across all ECE sectors with a special focus on Māori and Pasifika children by the year 2012. This plan recognised the value of New Zealand’s history in ECE, diversity, professional development in ECE and qualified educators; lastly it recognised the importance of ECE to a child’s “foundation for ongoing learning” (Ministry of Education, 2002, p. 4). The 20 hours policy re-enforced how ECE educators were valued aligning with the strategic plan.
National’s change in perspective resulted in large funding cuts across the ECE sector. This leaves many questions such as:
o Where does this leave infants and toddlers in ECE?
o With such large funding cuts where are ECE sectors going to get the funding to continue paying qualified staff as well as providing great learning opportunities for children?
The Act party describes Labour’s purpose for creating the ‘20 hours free policy’ as being a target approach to gaining votes (an election bribe by Labour). The 20 hour policy had little research when it began and many ECE centres were rebelling against using the policy. The National government maintained that the introduction of the policy would not affect regulations and legislations of the ECE centres; this implied the functionality of the ECE centres would not be affected.
Anne Tolleys argument for lowering the percentage from 100 percent qualified staff by 2012 to 80 percent is described as being a more achievable outcome for ECE, she also discusses how ECE centres are struggling to maintain a minimum of 50 percent qualified staff and there are only 64 percent of qualified registered teachers working in teacher lead services in ECE. This is ignoring the fact that centres have invested a lot of time and money to improve the quality standards of ECE; management, staff and encourage the participation of children in quality ECE centres that are beneficial for both children and supportive of their parents, ngā whānau for the 100 percent qualified staff ratio.
This is a following video on Anne Tolleys discussion surrounding funding cuts to ECE:
National has put together an ECE taskforce to see where further cuts to funding can be made across the ECE sector. Teachers had little knowledge of this taskforce till it had already been formed. Soon after the ECE taskforce was created there have been funding cuts of up to 400 million dollars to the sector. Policy changes meant that parents would also need to top up these additional costs in ECE which are no longer funded by the government. National explains with a large increase towards funding (Labour being in power) in the last five years cuts need to be made. National have avoided taking into consideration Labour’s previous target funding was towards improving quality outcomes in ECE. Additionally they had an increase of up to 50 percent attendance for infants, toddlers and young children. Furthermore Nationals taskforce evaluation (resulting in large funding cuts to ECE) can be contributed to the target funding towards the 20 hour policy.
National are currently investigating ways to reduce funding costs of the policy and decrease the hours covered by the policy. National’s approaches have already changed Labours desired outcome of having 100 percent qualified staff with a payment of $12.45 an hour per child down to $10.88 per child with 80 percent qualified staff by National initiatives.
National are currently investigating ways to reduce funding costs of the policy and decrease the hours covered by the policy. National’s approaches have already changed Labours desired outcome of having 100 percent qualified staff with a payment of $12.45 an hour per child down to $10.88 per child with 80 percent qualified staff by National initiatives.
Commodification of ECE can be a result of insufficient funding and the idea to make money off the sector rather than invest in measurable quality across all ECE sectors. In my opinion National is heading towards this direction through treating the early childhood sector as a business rather than an investment in our future.
References:
Bunji. (2011, February 1). ECE cuts bite today. The Standard. Retrieved from http://thestandard.org.nz/ece-cuts-bite-today/
Childforum. (2010). Government ece taskforce – the meaning of this for early childhood education. Retrieved April 28, from http://www.childforum.com/political/262-ece-taskforce.html
Hide, R., Boscawen, J., Douglas, R., Roy, H., & Calvert, H. (2010). Act blog: Consequences of ’20 hours free’ live on. Retrieved April 23, 2011 from http://www.act.org.nz/blog/heather-roy/consequences-of-20-hours-free-live-on
Keesing-Styles, L., & Hedges, H. (Eds.). (2007). Theorising early childhood practice. Emerging dialogues. Castle Hill, Australia: Pademelon Press.
Ministry of Education. (2002). Pathways to the Future: Ngā Huarahi Arataki. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.
New Zealand Kindergartens. (2011). Kindergartens: Great start 100%. Retrieved April 23, from http://issues.co.nz/greatstart100
New Zealand Ministry of Education. (2010). ECE taskforce: Our children are our future. Retrieved April 28, 2011 from http://www.taskforce.ece.govt.nz/
New Zealand Ministry of Education. (2011). ECE funding changes. Retrieved April 23, 2011, from http://www.minedu.govt.nz/theMinistry/Budget/Budget2010/Factsheets/ECEFundingChanges.aspx
NZPA. (2010, October 7). Taskforce to review early childhood funding. The National Business Review. Retrieved from http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/taskforce-review-early-childhood-education-funding-131186
Walker, C. (2010, September 30). [Video]. Retrieved April 28, 2011, from http://ecetogether.org.nz/video/minister-of-education-anne
Young, A. (2010, May 26). Govt confirms education subsidy cut. The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved from http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10647425
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