Early childhood teachers, educators, and supporters are taking action across the country tomorrow as the freeze on teachers’ pay parity rates comes into effect.
They will visit MPs’ offices, share their thoughts on signs, and ask people to sign an open letter calling on the Government to value quality early childhood education in the wake of its regulatory changes and cuts to pay parity.
Early childhood centre manager Jess Duff says the Government’s decision to freeze pay parity funding is only the latest in a series of reforms to undermine the quality of children’s education.
The freeze prevents centres from accessing higher funding rates to support paying early childhood teachers the same as colleagues in kindergarten and schools.
“We are gutted at the Government’s decisions around pay parity. First it was scrapping parity for relievers and fixed-term staff; then it was scrapped for new and newly certified early childhood education teachers. And now centres are having their funding for higher pay rates frozen. It feels like pay parity is being dismantled piece by piece.”
Duff says the pay parity freeze kicks in after an announcement last week about a new funding review of the early childhood education sector.
“It’s led by a group without any teaching qualifications or experience – we fear it’s business profit, not children’s needs for quality teaching, that is driving this review. It’s deeply worrying that the Government doesn’t value pay parity for early childhood education teachers, or quality learning for our youngest tamariki.”
Zane McCarthy, an early childhood kaiako and sector representative for NZEI Te Riu Roa, says teachers are desperate for decision makers to listen to their perspective.
“As teaching professionals, we work with young children every day, and we have a good grasp of what’s needed on the ground to help them really thrive in their learning – that's more qualified teachers, good ratios of teachers to children, more learning support, and a commitment to honour Te Tiriti in early childhood education.
“Yet, on top of cuts to our pay, the Government’s regulatory changes that are being pushed through will cut the learning conditions and safety of children in early childhood education. We say: let's back what our youngest learners need – not undermine it.”
NZEI Te Riu Roa’s day of action for early childhood education is on Friday 27 June. Members will be available for interviews and photos.