-
Tuafono Teio and her child protesting against ECE cuts - Source: ONE News -
Watch Video
-
Related
Hundreds of parents took to Auckland's Queen Street today, sending a strong message to Government to invest in the future.
Last year the Government announced a $400 million cut to Early Childhood Services and some say it's already affecting kids' education.
The New Zealand Educational Institute says funding has been cut to more than 2000 child care centres as part of the Government's plan to trim costs by abandoning the target of having centres staffed fully by qualified teachers.
NZEI spokesperson, Hayley Whitaker, says there are parents who can no longer afford the fees.
"Cutting funding to the most crucial part of the education sector is completely unacceptable and it's time that they actually listened to their own commissioned research which says that we need to invest in high quality childhood education regardless of physical constraints," she says.
The cuts targeted centres with more than 80% qualified staff and some centres have raised their fees up to 12%.
It has already affected Karen Wyatt's preschool, with $50,000 wiped off the budget.
"That's a lot of money to make up between 44 parents and if we introduce fees, parents have already indicated they won't attend ECE," she told ONE News.
Play centre parents are worried too, with a taskforce recommending a funding cut of 60%.
Labour leader Phil Goff was presented with a petition with 60,000 signatures, which he has promised to take to Wellington.
Latest NZ News Video
-
ONE News Minute 9am update: May 26 (1:00)
-
Kids cough up $14m for Government (1:50)
-
Education ministry 'barbaric' (1:55)
