Hallelujah!

We love that there is so much information from NZ and international research about the value of carefully planned and quality taught programme..... it's nice to hear it validated on prime time tv.
If you haven't already seen this.. it is must see tv if you are interested in the education system in NZ and the wider world.

check this out:
http://www.tv3.co.nz/WORLD-CLASS-INSIDE-NZ-EDUCATION-A-SPECIAL-REPORT-World-Class-Inside-NZ-Education-A-Special-Report/tabid/3692/articleID/126943/MCat/5126/Default.aspx

The Budget and ece

This from the association...

The Budget delivered nothing for early childhood funding, meaning another effective cut for us at Whanau Manaaki, because there is no compensation for inflation.

 

New Zealand Kindergartens’ budget press statement describes the budget as “a big disappointment” and an opportunity lost. NZK chief executive Clare Wells says: “…quality is likely to take a backward step as services are forced to cut budgets”.

 

This cut to funding is hidden because the government has put extra money aside for the increase in the population, while the amount per child remains frozen. The amount per child per hour in kindergarten remains less than it was in 2008 – despite eight years of inflation.

 

There has also been no increase to equity funding, despite the government saying it wants to target funding to those most at risk.   Increases to special education are aimed at schools, which again is disappointing as the research shows early intervention is crucial for educational success.

 

Te Rito Maioha describes it as “insulting” while NZEI says yet another funding squeeze will undermine quality learning.  The Child Poverty Action Group, which holds post-budget breakfasts around the country to highlight what the budget offers children, says “this is not the New Zealand we want.” Child Poverty Action says “when so many families are in crisis and children are bearing the brunt, this budget does nothing.”

 

This budget, and the fact that the freeze on early childhood funding barely rates a mention in the budget media coverage, highlights the importance of our campaign to make early childhood funding an election issue. The Stuff website, one of the two main news websites, even said ECE was a ‘big winner’ in the budget. 

 

The government uses the slogan “more children in quality early learning” but its actions do nothing to ensure quality, although it is providing $436 million over four years for an  additional 14,000 children in early childhood education by 2019/2020.

 

In other budget areas, the schools operational funding was also frozen, which will mean more costs are passed onto parents. Increases to special education in schools should mean more children qualify for ORs support, while schools with a large number of beneficiary families are likely to get some additional targeted money – although schools say this is $2 a week for a child at risk and will not go far.  There were no significant other budget initiatives to support children and families.

 

We need to work together to make sure that quality ECE and proper funding features large in future budgets.

Every child deserves an equitable chance at success in education....

 This statement from the association........
Last Wednesday, the Minister of Education announced additional funding for special education – to schools.
This is appalling given the extensive issues facing many babies and young children and the ongoing concerns expressed by early childhood educators at the lack of special education support. Below is a media release from NZK. You may want to add this to your kindergarten newsletters or Facebook pages.
NZ Kindergartens welcomes the Minister of Education’s announcement today of additional funding to support children with additional learning needs in schools but questions why no extra funding has been allocated for children in early childhood education (ECE) services.
“It is false economy to only increase funding to schools when the research says early intervention is critical for children to experience success during their school years” says NZ Kindergartens Chief Executive Clare Wells.
“The Ministry of Education says between 80,000 and 100,000 children and young people receive some form of special educa-tion support each year. That is about one child in ten, which equates to around 20,000 children in ECE in every year.” said Clare Wells. “All these children go on to school. Why would you wait until they start school to provide extra support?”
Understanding and progressing children’s learning is central to the role of qualified teachers in kindergartens. “Learning diffi-culties are identified as soon as the child starts kindergarten and often before that. Adequate additional support needs to be available straight away.” Clare Wells says.
A 2015 survey of kindergartens found that 9 percent of children attending the kindergartens surveyed needed extra support to gain the same benefits of participating in ECE as their peers. Sixty-five percent of their teachers said there was not suffi-cient education support worker funding available to meet children’s needs.
A 2011 Education Review Office report on inclusive education in ECE recommended the ministry review the current provision of education support workers.
“The current funding allocation for special education support in ECE is not working for children, their whānau or their teach-ers. Despite their own evidence and advice, the ministry and the government continue to ignore the need for more funding to support young children with special education needs” said Clare Wells. “We need to turn that around if we are serious about making sure every child can succeed in education.”