The quality of ECE will decrease, qualified teachers will be undermined, children will be less safe, most of the ECE curriculum will not be compulsory, and profits for business would increase rather than seeing tamariki and their needs at the heart of decisions about the future of early childhood education.

By signing your name to the open letter, you are showing support for these workers as an essential resource for ākonga and schools, and for a quality public education in Aotearoa, New Zealand. 

Regulations set the parameters for the day-to-day work of ECE kaiako and kaimahi and the learning and safety conditions for tamariki. It’s not just about paperwork! Everything – from the physical space centres occupy, to the safety of tamariki, and the pay rates kaiako receive – is determined by regulations.The risk of regulatory failure is huge in ECE, because it affects the safety and wellbeing of tamariki. The Ministry for Regulation intends to consider the rationale for the Government’s involvement in and regulation of the sector – that means the very purpose of ECE is under consideration with this review. 

  Why is this important? We do not agree with the Government’s decision to repeal the network approval provisions or the fast process they’ve used to do it. By submitting and having our voices heard, we are showing that we are the sector experts, and we need to be consulted.  Removing network management takes away a process which ensured early education services being set up were appropriate for the community. To make it easier for you to participate in this process, we’ve set up a form for you to fill out with some suggested talking points below. 

All tamariki, regardless of which school they attend, deserve an education that is delivered by qualified and professionally accountable teachers. Your voice needs to be heard on this issue. NZEI Te Riu Roa members sign up to receive an action alert on making a submission on the charter schools legislation and an invitation to online submission workshops once the submission timeline has been announced. NZEI Te Riu Roa charter schools campaign PPTA Te Wehengarua charter schools campaign

Teachers, parents, whānau and communities fought for two decades to win respect, recognition and pay parity for teachers in early childhood education. After finally achieving progress with pay parity, the National, ACT and NZ First coalition Government are initiating radical changes in early childhood education. They have signalled funding changes that threaten the pay of tens of thousands of teachers and risk children’s wellbeing by rolling back safety regulations.   Removing protections to teacher pay and safety regulations are not new ideas. They are failed ideas that enable unscrupulous employers to cut corners. Ultimately, it is tamariki and staff who suffer when providers have a license to put profit before providing great care and education. We know that for tamariki to have the best start in life they need great foundations and the best possible beginning to their lifelong journey.  Every child, no matter where they live or how much their parents earn, should have access to quality early childhood education, Māori medium, and Pacific language services that suit their needs and community, which place culture and identity at the heart.  Kōhanga Reo, Puna Reo and early childhood teachers are trained and qualified to make sure our youngest children get the best teaching and learning – just like teachers in kindergartens and schools. Regardless of where our kaiako work, if they work to grow our tamariki and mokopuna they should have their mahi valued equally.    Respect our youngest mokopuna in education, their kaiako, and their whānau. Don’t let Minister Seymour attack teacher conditions – the learning conditions for our mokopuna.   Take us forwards, not backwards!