The Council of Trade Unions is supporting early childhood teachers in their calls for the Government to keep its pre-election promise to restore early childhood education funding, deliver on 100% qualified teachers, and improve child to teacher ratios with the presentation of a petition to Minister of Education Chris Hipkins this morning.
CTU Secretary Sam Huggard cares deeply about this issue, “Ensuring that our children, our rangitahi, have the best start in life is essential. One of the ways we as a society ensure this is by the quality of our education system, including our early education. I know first-hand what an essential role they play.”
“We know that the Government cares about ensuring the well-being on New Zealanders. Properly funding the work that happens in early childhood education is an essential step in the well being for some of our youngest citizens and their whanau,” Huggard said.
In the lead-up to Election 2017, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Minister of Education Chris Hipkins and Minister of Finance Grant Robertson were among a number of MPs and candidates who signed a pledge to restore funding to ECE, reduce ratios and group sizes, and restore the goal of 100% qualified teachers.