4. ALLAN PEACHEY (National—Tāmaki) Link to this
to the Minister of Education
What is the Government doing to increase participation in early childhood education and care?
Hon ANNE TOLLEY (Minister of Education) Link to this
Yesterday the Hon Dr Pita Sharples and I announced $8.9 million in funding from the discretionary grants scheme to create more than 400 new places in early childhood education centres. The grants include more than $5 million for new capital works in the Counties Manukau District Health Board area, where participation rates are generally low. Other projects will create 70 places in Samoan immersion centres, a new centre in Arrowtown, and services for Māori, Pasifika, and refugee communities.
What other activity is under way to increase participation in early childhood education in Counties Manukau?
A wide range of initiatives is going on, as part of the Counties Manukau participation project. Three early childhood centres have been confirmed for school sites, and more centres will be established in South Auckland. Among other projects, the first street-side playgroup has been established in Papakura, three education play days have been held, a community champions initiative is being developed with community groups, and three new certified playgroups have been set up. Increasing early childhood education participation is a top priority for this Government.
Sue MoroneyHow will the Minister ensure increased participation in early childhood education, when her own Ministry of Health predicts that New Zealand will need 19,000 extra early childhood education places by 2011 just to maintain 2008 rates of participation and to increase the participation of Māori and Pasifika children; does she realise she will have to do better than just maintain a grant scheme established by the Labour Government, in order to make the headway that is required?
Despite the previous Government’s establishment of the discretionary grants scheme, it left the incoming Government the legacy that that member refers to. I can assure her that this Government is addressing those issues in every way possible, and the first step is to increase participation rates, in a sensible and community-driven way, in areas like South Auckland, where there is not good participation of Māori and Pasifika students.
Rahui KateneI am pleased to advise the member that the recent funding round allocated funding to create 30 new places at a kōhanga reo in South Taranaki, and five other kōhanga reo have grants to plan new buildings or refurbishments for over 120 children. Planning grants have also been given to projects that include supporting the development of Māori immersion centres.
Groups that have been involved in applying to the discretionary grants scheme have told me, not surprisingly, that the process under Labour was overly bureaucratic and consumed far too many resources. I have asked the ministry to look at ways in which that same amount of money could be used more effectively to increase the number of children participating in early childhood education by creating more places.
Hon Clayton Cosgrove Link to this
I seek leave to table a letter dated 28 May 2009 from a Ministry of Education deputy secretary, Nicholas Pole, which shows that the last Labour Government funded every year the physical therapy package for children like Brittany Graham, and the 2009 Budget of the National Government cut it.
Mr SPEAKER