The expansion of the government’s ENRICH oral language programme is being undermined by a conflicting proposal from Associate Education Minister David Seymour to scrap teacher pay parity and higher funding tiers for qualified teachers that are critical to keeping experienced educators in ECE centres to deliver it.
“This glaring contradiction exposes the government’s lack of a cohesive vision for early childhood education. They want tamariki to thrive but they are simultaneously stripping away the conditions that allow teachers to support our children,” NZEI Te Riu Roa President Ripeka Lessels said.
“On one hand, Education Minister Erica Stanford highlights the urgent need to address language delays in young children. Yet, just days ago, Minister Seymour’s ECE funding review included proposals to dismantle the pay and funding needed to attract and retain qualified teachers.
“For any educational programme to achieve the best outcomes, children need stable, quality teaching from a 100% qualified workforce. As confirmed by a recent ERO report, confident, qualified teachers have a huge effect on children’s learning and oral language skills,” Mrs Lessels said.
Mrs Lessels noted that tamariki are still facing barriers to learning due to a lack of learning support, including access to speech language therapy.
“Early intervention is critical for children to be ready and to thrive at school. Because of this, it is crucial that any oral language programme is culturally appropriate and aligns with Te Whaariki, Kōwhiti Whakapae, and Te Tiriti o Waitangi.”