‘For-profit’ ECE group’s 100-page wish list worries sector
Friday, 20 September 2024
A lengthy proposal from an early childhood education (ECE) group to get rid of adult-child ratios, pay parity, and paperwork has been met with a tidal wave of concern.
In June, the Ministry of Regulation launched its first review into the ECE sector to scrap rules that “didn’t stack up”. Opposition parties spoke out as feedback was collected.
More than 2300 submissions were received, including one from the Early Childhood Council, which represented 1500 centres with an aim to “promote the fundamental role of privately-owned and independent centres”.
The council’s 100-page document was released on Wednesday.
Aotearoa’s largest education union NZEI Te Riu Roa called the council a “for-profit” group and criticised its submission.
'Such reforms are purely in the interests of corporations and will not do anything to support the best education for children.“
The council’s first major concern was minimum adult-child ratios. It wanted them gone “because they are ineffective and not able to be monitored”.
The ratios sit at 1:5 for children aged under 2, and 1:10 for over 2.
Age was “arbitrary”, the council said. Furthermore, employers needed to meet the ratios when staff took breaks and days off at a “considerable ongoing cost to the operators”.
Its suggestions included:
Remove contractors, managers and relievers from the “vexatious” opt-in pay parity scheme, which ensures fair pay for ECE staff compared to other sectors.
Repeal the “made up” person responsible role that puts someone’s reputation at stake in a serious incident.
Review the Ministry of Education’s complaints process which lets complainants remain anonymous and the ministry conduct surprise visits.
Rework the sudden suspension and cancellation powers the ministry holds which leaves centres floundering without funding.
Remove the “paperwork and more paperwork” burdening centres, such as check lists to identify puddles as hazards.
Review “absurd” food regulation, such as those which made it “effectively illegal for whole apples to exist in centres (unless they arrive in lunchboxes).”
Disallow the ministry to regulate centres outside of their six-hour funding limit which places more costs on parents.
Enable centres to employ student teachers as assistant teachers while on placement.
Council chief executive Simon Laube said in a statement they owed it to the children to sort out the failures in the ECE system.
“ It’s disgraceful that the current situation means more and more children miss out on a quality ECE experience.
“It will take time, but we must now fix the difficult problems that have held our sector back for years.”
Office of Early Childhood Education chief advisor Dr Sarah Alexander said the submission “illustrates a lot of rambling and self interest”.
“You never leave it to the producer orthe manufacturer, who ever it is … to set regulations for themselves - that is the purpose of having regulations.
“Their perspective is very understandable and important to have but it needs to be balanced against the public interest and particularly the rights of young children.”
Alexander earlier stated the council’s proposals would return Aotearoa to the “the days of back-yard quality of care”, risking children safety.
Director of Hagley Community Preschool in Christchurch, Tracey Summerton, said there was a reason regulations were put in place.
Removing pay parity for relievers was a “real concern” after a long fight to secure it. “We are teachers - we aren’t any different really from any of the other sectors.”
NZEI Te Riu Roa executive representative Virginia Oakly said removing pay parity would “open the door to creating a qualified teaching workforce paid at minimum wage”.
'We need and have repeatedly asked for a better funding model and administrative systems for pay parity, but the answer is not to remove the pay parity scheme.'
A release from Te Rito Maioha said the sector was “at risk of being captured by one vested interest”.
Current adult-child ratios were challenging enough and a reduction was needed, rather than a removal, Te Rito Maioha chief executive Kathy Wolfe said.
“As sector leaders representing 68% of the ECE sector, we are asking the Government to take a stand for our tamariki and ensure that quality ECE is not sacrificed on the basis of one lobby group who are hell bent on eroding it.”
“Removing adult-child ratios would “undermine quality ECE, create additional stress for children and generate even more challenging work environments,” Montessori Aotearoa New Zealand chief executive Cathy Wilson said.
The suggestion teacher pay should be “deregulated” showed some submitters were commoditising children, rather than trying to provide world class education, New Zealand Kindergarten chief executive Jill Bond said.
Associate Education Minister David Seymour announced in early September relievers would be removed from the pay parity scheme from October. Centres would also be able to use unqualified teachers for 80 hours a funding period, without showing they tried to find a certified reliever.