6. KATHERINE RICH (National) Link to this
to the Minister of Education
What advice has his ministry given early childhood centres regarding the setting of optional charges, and what are the appropriate steps for a centre to take in the event that parents refuse to pay any optional charges under the Government’s 20 free hours policy?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Minister of Education) Link to this
The advice is the same as mine. The Government is funding 20 hours of quality early childhood education. Any additional charges are optional, and parents have a choice as to whether or not to agree to pay them. That is why, as I think Paula Bennett quite rightly says, parents will be clearly better off.
What is a centre that takes up his 20 free hours policy to do if it is faced with a parent who refuses to pay optional charges, which many centres will be relying on, not to pay for luxuries but for day-to-day costs like books, teachers’ salaries, and electricity?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
As the rules are set out, a centre cannot refuse to enrol a child on the grounds that the child’s parents have not agreed to pay an optional charge. The second part of the question by the member of course is really fictitious. What we are talking about here is a fully funded model, based upon a survey of the entire sector. As the member learnt at the select committee today, there has been a 56 percent response to that survey, which is twice the size of the sample that the reviewers said was needed to get an accurate idea of costs.
Moana MackeyDoes he have any specific reports of how families will benefit from the Government’s 20 free hours policy?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
Our understanding is that the costs to families of early childhood education will go down, that access will go up, and that centres themselves will find that they will get more stable and more predictable funding. It is therefore a pity that the National Party campaign of misinformation has perhaps meant that some centres will not enrol just now. They will wait to see how it goes. That means that mums and dads and their kids will miss out on 1 July, but I am sure they will come in at a suitable time.
Regarding the families that will benefit, can he confirm that after 1 July some Kiwi parents who are not near a centre offering 20 free hours could miss out, while a non-resident, non-citizen, long-term holidaymaker or overstayer who is living beside the right centre could get 20 hours free?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
The member asked this question in the select committee today. The information given to her was that 0.25 percent of enrolments in early childhood education centres currently fit that description. Our opinion is that that is a reasonable place for a young child to be. It is better for them to be there than to be nowhere.
How does the Minister think that some Kiwi parents will feel—those parents who will miss out on 20 free hours because they do not have access to it in their local community—when they hear that some parents who are not residents, who are not citizens, and who may be here for a long-term holiday or overstaying for some other reason could get 20 hours free, when they cannot get it in their local community?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
I think when they know it is 0.25 percent of enrolments, they will think that the member’s question is pathetic.
When some centres that may offer 20 free hours will potentially have extremely long waiting lists, why will he not specify in his new policy of 20 free hours that priority must be given to New Zealand residents, New Zealand citizens, and Kiwi mums and dads, and not to people who may be here for an extended holiday?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
As the member knows, public services are for Kiwis first, but we are talking about 0.25 percent of enrolments. The member herself, when asked today at the select committee what her policy would be, said, as usual, that she did not have a policy.
Paula BennettHon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
In relation to the early childhood policy that we are talking about, we are funding 20 hours of quality education for 3 and 4-year-olds.
As the Minister continually uses school donations as a comparable example, is it not true that if a parent does not pay a school donation there are no consequences, except maybe that the child does not go to the school ball, whereas not paying a donation to an early childhood education centre under the 20 hours free policy could mean that a teacher loses his or her job?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
The example that the member is using comes from the head of the New Zealand Educational Institute, who has praised the 20 hours policy, saying it is the best thing for families and is a huge step forward for education. I am very glad that the member is referring to Irene Cooper, because she is a huge supporter of this policy. I say to the member opposite that we are funding 20 hours of early childhood education to the quality level, and if there are any additional services, then those are optional charges.