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21 Dec 06
Rates for free early childhood education
21 Dec 06
Download
ECE funding rates 21 Dec 06.pdf(66 kb)
Funding rates
have been announced for Labour's policy of 20 hours free ECE for
three and four-year-olds
Funding rates for Labour's policy of 20 hours free early childhood
education for all three and four-year-olds, were announced today by
Education Minister Steve Maharey.
The new funding rates - available to all teacher-led early childhood
services from 1 July next year - will see the cost of early
childhood education lowered for thousands of
New Zealand
families, benefiting up to 92,000 children in the first year.
The rates will range from $4.09 per hour to $10.60 per hour,
depending on the type of service and the number of qualified
teachers employed.
Steve Maharey says the subsidy has been set at a level that
recognises all of the costs involved in providing quality early
childhood education.
"Labour is committed to lowering the cost of early childhood
education for all
New Zealand
families," Steve Maharey said.
"The rates will enable early childhood centres to meet the cost of
offering free early childhood education for up to 20 hours a week.
In addition, centres will continue to receive subsidies for up to 30
hours per child per week."
The rates for free ECE follow a major increase in funding subsidies
from 1 July this year, which has seen funding rates for all-day
services increase by up to 13 per cent, and rates for session-based
services increase by up to 11 per cent.
Steve Maharey says quality and participation in early childhood
education have increased significantly in the last five years as a
result of investments by Labour-led governments.
"Around 94 per cent of all New Zealand children now take part in
early childhood education before starting school. Overall funding
for early childhood education has more than doubled since 1999, and
the number of qualified teachers has increased by 50 per cent."
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