Te Rito Maioha Early Childhood New Zealand (ECNZ) supports renewed calls for pay parity for all early learning teachers.
Chief Executive, Kathy Wolfe says, “teachers want better pay and working conditions, and the message is coming through strongly from our employer members that they, in turn, value and want to fairly recognise their teachers.”
“As we have stated before, this can only be achieved if the Government provides much improved funding that flows straight to teachers’ pay and working conditions.”
“Our view is that government subsidies need to increase for the entire sector. ECE services have suffered far too long and over many years with little to no funding increases. Pay parity is a large part of this, but centres must also be able to continue to pay their operational costs.”
“Now more than ever under our current operating climate this needs to be urgently addressed. The consequences for ECE provision, teachers, whānau and tamariki will be significant and have long term educational ramifications if the government does not address this now.”
“If funding issues are not addressed as a matter of urgency, ECE centres will struggle to maintain high quality education for our youngest tamariki," says Kathy Wolfe.
“The current status of ECE, the widening pay gap and the diluting of hard-won gains in terms of the teaching profession and quality in ECE are very concerning.”
“It is heartening that the Minister says he remains committed to closing the gap. However only small increments per year are just not going to cut it. We urge the government to implement pay parity sooner rather than later to ensure all early learning teachers are paid the same as kindergarten and primary teachers – they deserve it and now is the time,” says Kathy Wolfe.