Government Funding Supports Quality Early Childhood

The Government's funding for early childhood education supports quality across the whole sector, the Associate Minister of Education Brian Donnelly said today.

"Providing good quality services remains a high priority if children are to achieve optimal educational outcomes in their early years," Mr. Donnelly said.

"Funding is clearly linked to the quality of the service provided."

"The money being provided to the early childhood sector continues to grow. In the year to 30 June 1997, the Government expects to spend $253.7 million on bulk subsidy grants alone, compared with $99 million in 1989."

"This year's Budget will include a significant amount of extra funding to early childhood education, in excess of the rate of headline inflation."

"One of the factors required in order to achieve quality in early childhood education is stability of staffing. This comes from a combination of qualifications and pay and conditions."

"The Government wants to drive up the quality of the whole sector. The extra money that will be available this year comes with a strong signal from the Government that early childhood workers should have better pay and conditions."

"However, the Government can only make the funding available. Parents want the best possible early childhood service for their children, and I am confident they will make sure that is provided by the service they use."

"We have to remember that early childhood funding is totally demand-driven and is not capped. The more centres that open, the more children who can enrol and the more money the taxpayer puts into early childhood education."

"New Zealand First went into the election with a strong emphasis on the early years - the formative years in a child's development. That policy is in the coalition agreement and will be reflected in this year's Budget."