6. MOANA MACKEY (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister of Education
What is the Government doing to increase the number of qualified teachers in early childhood education?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Minister of Education) Link to this
This morning the Prime Minister and I went to Childspace, an early childhood centre, to announce a $30 million boost to early childhood funding over the next 4 years, coming in from 1 July. Funding rates for all-day services will increase by up to 13 percent, session-based service rates will increase by up to 11 percent, and playcentres will get a 9 percent boost to their funding. This increase in funding will help services meet additional costs and allow them to employ more qualified teachers. This is on top of the nearly $0.5 billion worth of funding that this Government is putting into this crucial area of education.
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
As Mr Goff said, it is probably just enough, being a huge amount of money we are investing—but wait, there is more: 700 early childhood education TeachNZ scholarships to support low-income students to enter teacher education programmes, incentive grants paid to early childhood services to support staff who are studying, study grants and relocation grants, and free recognition of prior learning to assist with the gaining of qualifications through specific training providers. Through these initiatives, the Government is well on target to meet its goal of having 100 percent qualified teachers in early childhood education by 2012—and all of this is in contrast to the fact that on the National Party website, there is no policy, at all.
Hon Tau HenareWhen he says “wait, there’s more”, is he referring to the 2006 Education Amendment Act, which will have the effect of adding to the administration of playcentres through imposing greater compliance costs, red tape, and more bureaucratic requirements?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
No, I was referring to the 700 early childhood TeachNZ scholarships, incentive grants, study grants, relocation grants, free recognition of prior learning, and the fact that the National Party has no policy.
Te Ururoa Flavell Link to this
Tēna tātou katoa. What has he done to address the under-representation of Māori teachers in the early childhood education workforce, which comprises only 8.3 percent of teachers who are Māori, compared with 19 percent of the early childhood population who are Māori?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
As part of the early childhood TeachNZ scholarships, the incentive grants, study grants, relocation grants, and free recognition of prior learning, we aim to increase that number substantially.
Hon Brian Donnelly Link to this
Should an understanding of the philosophical and economic theories of Karl Marx be an essential part of our early childhood teachers’ qualifications, as it was in the 1990s under a National Government, or should such qualifications be focused more on how to optimise the intellectual, social, and emotional development of preschoolers?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
I go along with what the member says, in the latter part of his question, should underlie early childhood education, but I do have to say congratulations to the National Party on its open-minded approach to Karl Marx and its support for his recognition through the system.