Labour will restore ECE's purpose as education, work towards pay parity for ECE teachers, and strengthen oversight so every community has quality early learning.
- Te Whāriki affirmed and the Early Learning Action Plan continued
- Working towards genuine pay parity for ECE teachers
- Stronger teacher-child ratios and smaller group sizes
- Stronger oversight including unannounced checks, clearer financial reporting and a better complaints process
- Network planning restored, supporting community-based, smaller and parent-led providers
- All communities benefit, including Pacific language nests, Puna Reo and Te Kōhanga Reo
Quality and purpose
Labour will:
- Affirm Te Whāriki and continue to implement the Early Learning Action Plan
- Restore ECE purpose as education
- Refresh the 10-year strategic plan to lift the quality of all forms of early childhood education
Teachers, ratios and pay
Labour will remove unnecessary barriers for qualified teachers, including working with Pacific and other centres where English is not the language of instruction on exemptions from English-language testing.
Labour is committed to genuine pay parity, working towards ECE teachers being paid fairly in line with other teachers.
Labour will bring in stronger teacher-child ratios and smaller group sizes.
Communities and parent choice
Labour will ensure all communities benefit from ECE, including Pacific language nests, Puna Reo and Te Kōhanga Reo.
Labour will make sure communities have the early learning they need, restoring network planning and supporting community-based, smaller and parent-led providers.
Labour will give parents more choice and confidence, including better information about providers and support for a diverse range of high-quality early learning options.
Oversight and transparency
Labour will strengthen oversight and transparency, with unannounced checks, clearer financial reporting and a better complaints process.
What is Labour's early childhood education policy?
Labour will affirm Te Whāriki, continue to implement the Early Learning Action Plan, restore the purpose of early childhood education (ECE) as education, strengthen oversight and transparency, restore network planning, and work towards pay parity for ECE teachers.
Will ECE teachers be paid the same as other teachers?
Labour is committed to genuine pay parity, working towards ECE teachers being paid fairly in line with other teachers.
What will Labour do about teacher-child ratios and group sizes?
Labour will bring in stronger teacher-child ratios and smaller group sizes.
How will Labour strengthen oversight of early childhood centres?
Labour will strengthen oversight and transparency, with unannounced checks, clearer financial reporting and a better complaints process.
What will Labour do to make sure all communities benefit from ECE?
Labour will ensure all communities benefit from ECE, including Pacific language nests, Puna Reo and Te Kōhanga Reo. Labour will also make sure communities have the early learning they need by restoring network planning and supporting community-based, smaller and parent-led providers.
What will Labour do to remove barriers for qualified ECE teachers?
Labour will remove unnecessary barriers for qualified teachers, including working with Pacific and other centres where English is not the language of instruction on exemptions from English-language testing.
How will Labour give parents more choice and confidence?
Labour will give parents more choice and confidence, including better information about providers and support for a diverse range of high-quality early learning options.
What does restoring ECE's purpose as education mean?
Labour will restore ECE purpose as education, affirm Te Whāriki, and refresh the 10-year strategic plan to lift the quality of all forms of early childhood education.
Affordable, accessible and safe early childhood education is how we give Kiwi kids the best start in life.
Better starts now.
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