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Ministry backs early childhood schools despite 'damning' report

Author
Alicia Burrow,
Publish Date
Thu, 8 Oct 2015, 5:40AM
Photo / Getty Images | File
Photo / Getty Images | File

Ministry backs early childhood schools despite 'damning' report

Author
Alicia Burrow,
Publish Date
Thu, 8 Oct 2015, 5:40AM

There is stark contrast in opinion from the early childhood education sector after a survey released yesterday showed a quarter of teachers wouldn't put their children in the centres they teach at.

However, the Ministry of Education is backing New Zealand's early childhood education centres, saying they are world class.

The Ministry of Education's enablement and support deputy secretary Katrina Casey said they have not seen a rise in complaints to match the survey, and she is urging parents to speak up if they believe their early childhood centre isn't up to scratch.

"What we do know is that the ratios that we operate in New Zealand are amongst the top three in the world, both in terms of the qualifications that our teachers have in early childhood learning and also the ratios.

"A large number of teachers are saying the standards are being adhered to and we know that for some of those that have said that they aren't being adhered to, they've been addressed by the centre in question."

Casey said demand for early childhood education continues to increase and new centres are opening to match this.

Meanwhile, the New Zealand Educational Institute said the survey results come as no surprise.

National Secretary Paul Goulter said regulations have forced early childhood centres to provide quantity over quality.

"It reinforces the notion that the Government, in pushing for increasing early childhood education participation, is actually is starting to lose touch with the quality of early childhood education."

Goulter said the quarter result is damning.

"That is a very deep and honest appraisal that goes right to the heart of this matter."

The Institute argues a competitive job market is stopping some teachers from speaking up when they're overloaded.

 

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