Minister of Education's Press Release Early Childhood Education Strategic Plan

Hon Trevor Mallard                                                      23 August 2000
Minister of Education                                                  Media Statement
 
  

Early childhood strategic planning working group

Education Minister Trevor Mallard tonight announced details of the Early Childhood Education Strategic Planning working group.

Speaking at an early childhood meeting in Palmerston North, Trevor Mallard said the working group, which will meet for the first time next week, would work on a plan to introduce coherency to the early childhood education sector.

"The number of children in early childhood education has grown. That's largely due to the labour market changes," Trevor Mallard said.

"There is a desperate need in many parts of the country for quality, affordable early childhood education, but there is no strategy to meet this need.

"It is time to reintroduce some coherency to the sector.

"The Budget this year included funding for a long-term strategy for the sector. $100,000 has been set aside in the first year to produce a discussion document, and run a nationwide consultation process. A further $50,000 will be available in next year's Budget for a working group to do further work on the proposed strategic plan.

"The working group is being established to prepare a report on early childhood education goals spanning the next ten years. The objective of the plan is to develop strategic goals and a framework for early childhood education policy that will:

• improve quality and access to early childhood education for all New Zealand children;
• identify and take into account relationships between government policy in early childhood education and other government policy goals, particularly those in labour market, health, welfare and Closing the Gaps policies; and
• give stability to the sector as to the future direction of early childhood education in New Zealand.

"There are separate groups currently examining shorter term issues including an equity funding working group and methods of recognising skills and knowledge for qualification purposes.

"It is envisaged that the working group will meet for up to ten 2-day meetings over the next 12 months and submit its final report before the end of August 2001. Five of these meetings may consist of the full group, while the other five will concentrate on Mäori, Pacific and mainstream strand development.

"The group will be headed by Anne Meade - author of the fourth Labour Government's report into early childhood education "Before Five"

"The strategic plan is a priority for us. The result will provide a focus as all other ECE policy is developed. It will include goals developed by the sector and it will set out how those goals will be achieved," Trevor Mallard said.