Duncan Helen: Estimates Debate —  
Duncan Helen: Estimates Debate —  
[Volume:610;Page:7246] 
HELEN DUNCAN (NZ Labour) 
: 
 I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak in this debate on Vote Education. I am pleased to see that extra money is going into early childhood education under this Government. I believe that early childhood education is the absolute foundation and the most important part of our education system. If one puts in place a good foundation it is built on; children have success and that continues right throughout their education. We will be investing an extra $55 million in early childhood education over the next 4 years to ensure that more children can access early childhood education. A first-rate start is absolutely what we want for all young people. Research shows the significance of that boost at the start of their education; the good effects continue right through to the tertiary level. 
The additional funding from the Budget 2003 is specifically targeted to increase participation and to raise the quality of early childhood education. Those are the things that are really important. We need to have increased participation rates so that every young New Zealander has the opportunity to take part in early childhood education. The other thing is to raise the quality of early childhood education. This Government knows that the most important issue with education is the quality of the teaching that is put in place. That is particularly important at the early childhood level because those young children are so vulnerable and deserve absolutely the best. This Government is committed to raising the professionalism and the quality of teachers in the early childhood sector. 
We continue to build on the important foundations that have been set by the Government and the early childhood education sector working together. We set those foundations in  
Pathways to the Future: Nga Huarahi Arataki 
 which is a 2-year strategic plan for early childhood education. It was launched last year we are continuing that strategic plan and we will see the benefits of that over time. There are three goals at the core of the action plan: increasing participation in quality early childhood education services improving the quality of those early childhood education services and promoting collaborative relationships. This Budget gives us all—that is the Government the workers in the education sector and parents—the opportunity to continue working together to achieve those goals. 
 The additional funding brings total early childhood education spending to $421 million in 2003-04. The extra funding that is being put in place includes an extra $1.6 million in capital grants to provide property for licensed early childhood education services in areas where there are not enough services to meet the current demand. Over the next 4 years nearly $1 million is being provided to the Developing Centres Fund so that more children are able to attend playgroups in areas where they currently cannot access appropriate licensed and chartered early childhood education services. It is known as the Promoting Participation Project. An additional $1.4 million is being provided over the next 4 years for the Maori-Pasifika early childhood education teacher scholarship programmes which are aimed at increasing the number of qualified Maori and Pasifika early childhood education teachers. We know that is an area where there have been profound shortages and this Government is dedicated to making a difference in that area and to making sure that those children have qualified teachers. There is $39 million to ensure that early childhood education services are compensated for cost increases in both staffing and operational areas. There is $4.5 million in capital funding over the next 2 years to implement a new funding framework for the sector. The number of early childhood education incentive grants is extended by 70 a year to continue the Government’s commitment to assist early childhood education services to have their staff upgrade their qualifications. This is what is at the heart of improving the early childhood education sector.