5,000 signatures reached
To: Government
Stand with early childhood teachers to save pay parity
We call on Prime Minister Chris Luxon, Hon David Seymour, Hon Erica Stanford, and all government MPs to:
VALUE: Keep pay parity to show you value early childhood teachers and their skills in educating and supporting our youngest tamariki to grow and learn
PROTECT: Protect our mokopuna by ensuring they get safe, high quality early learning from expert, qualified teachers
RESPECT: Invest in creating the best conditions for teachers educating and supporting our youngest tamariki – teachers’ working conditions are children’s learning conditions
Why is this important?
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!