8. PAULA BENNETT (National) Link to this
to the Minister of Education
How many early childhood education services have opted in to the Government’s 20 free hours a week policy?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Minister of Education) Link to this
Based on current enrolments, up to 92,000 3 and 4-year-olds will be eligible to receive 20 hours’ free education in teacher-led early childhood centres from 1 July this year. As I am sure the member is aware, from next month parents will be able to pick up forms to indicate that they want to take up the scheme, and from May services can start to apply for funding. Only at that point will we have a final idea of the numbers that are likely to enter the scheme, although I have to say that at the moment I have very positive feedback from around the country, so I remain optimistic.
Rodney HideI raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. That question was down on notice, and there is some interest in the answer. The Minister explained that more childhood centres will enrol over the coming period, and I think everyone accepts that, but he obviously has a number as to how many have enrolled now. With a question on notice, he should give that number or explain why he cannot.
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
Speaking to the point of order, I make clear to the member that no parent can enrol for this scheme until April, and no centre can enrol for this until May. It is very difficult to count people who have not yet enrolled.
Why, when parents phone the 0800 number about 20 free hours and ask which centres are offering the hours, are they given a list of all centres in the area, whether or not they have opted in?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
Because all 92,000 current 3 to 4-year-olds are eligible for this amount of money. That is why people are referred to all of those centres, as the member would know if she had followed the policy.
Dr Ashraf Choudhary Link to this
What reports has the Minister seen regarding alternatives to the very popular policy of 20 hours’ free early childhood education?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
I have seen a number of reports. They include reports welcoming the policy, scrapping the policy, replacing the policy with a cumbersome bureaucratic tax credit system, expanding the initiative to all centres that cater for care or education, and arguing that policy detail should be kept from parents. All of those confusing and contradictory reports come from one member or another of the National Party. That confusion, I am sure, will be cleared up with the next election, when I will lay money on the fact that the National Party will have flip-flopped and will support this policy.
Why does the www.teamup.co.nz website, reached by the “Free ECE” link on the Ministry of Education’s website, list all teacher-led services as centres that will provide 20 hours free, including the thousands that have not opted in, like the 107 Auckland kindergartens?
What is the Minister’s response to the concerns raised by an Auckland kindergarten, which wrote to him and said: “It is unreasonable of the Government to tell our parents to come into the kindergarten asking for their 20 free hours, when we can’t afford to offer it and we know it will be detrimental to the level of quality that we offer our parents and their children.”?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
I am not sure that there was a question there—it was a reading out of the quote. I ask whether there was another part to that in terms of a response. I thought that the member was going there.
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. It was quite a clear question, which I am happy to repeat for the benefit of the Minister. Obviously, he has asked for it to be repeated.
Madam SPEAKERWhat is the Minister’s response to the concerns of an Auckland kindergarten, whose staff wrote to him and stated—
As I have said, the member’s question was clear to me. Would the Minister just respond to it, please.
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
I obviously missed the first part of the question. My response to that centre will be the same as it is to all centres. At the moment the Ministry of Education is discussing with centres face to face how the policy will apply. As I mentioned last week in answer to a question from the member, about 90 percent, I am told, of the people who come to those discussions leave saying that the policy is clearer to them and that now they can see how they can apply it to their centres. That centre might like to go to one of those discussions.