Early childhood educators are feeling stressed and anxious about possible deregulation in their sector. They fear that health and safety standards may become unrealistic under the current staffing rules.
A report released on Monday by NZEI Te Riu Roa, Aotearoa’s largest education union, highlighted a troubling situation for most of the 2,700 educators surveyed. The report indicated that 71.2% of respondents do not believe the early childhood education (ECE) sector is “heading in the right direction.” This comes amid a regulation review led by Associate Education Minister David Seymour.
Seymour has received 2,300 submissions for his review. He has also stated that relievers will no longer be part of the pay parity scheme starting in October, which aims to ensure fair wages for all educators.
The Early Childhood Council, representing 1,500 privately owned centers, has called for significant deregulation, including the removal of current teacher-child ratios. However, NZEI’s report found that 81.7% of respondents believe the minimum ratios of 1:5 for children under two and 1:10 for those over two do not provide adequate care.
Seventy percent of those surveyed expressed concerns about meeting health and safety standards with the current minimum ratios. In fact, 73.3% of respondents worry about the health and safety implications of deregulation.
Managing children with complex needs is a significant challenge for educators. A striking 92.1% agree that children require more social, emotional, and learning support than in previous years. Additionally, 92.9% noted that increased workloads have led to higher stress levels among teachers.
Tracy Summerton, director of Hagley Community Preschool in Christchurch, described the current teacher-child ratios as “quite dangerous.” She explained that a teacher might struggle to assist a child in need while also feeding another child. Her preschool uses a 1:3 ratio for children under two and 1:7 for those over two, and she opposes deregulation.
“Regulations are there for a reason,” Summerton said. “The early childhood sector has been in crisis for a long time, largely due to privatization.” She believes the profession is not taken seriously, with many treating preschools as mere babysitters.
Virginia Oakly, a representative from NZEI, stated that the survey results show that prioritizing businesses over teachers and children could lead to serious consequences. “We must address the ongoing issues that teachers have been reporting,” she emphasized.
NZEI recommends gradually improving the teacher-child ratios to 1:3 for those under two and 1:5 for older children. They also advocate for a centralized pay system, free ECE for parents, and additional support for children in need.
If deregulation occurs, NZEI wants the Government to ensure that no changes increase the risk of harm to children or staff.
Seymour commented that he read the NZEI survey with interest. He noted that last year, 86% of respondents agreed that “staff are increasingly subject to complex regulations that increase workload.” While he sees improvement in this year’s figures, many educators still cite workload as their main concern due to bureaucratic red tape.
Seymour expressed a desire for higher ratios but acknowledged that funding is a key issue, dependent on what parents and taxpayers can afford. He pointed out that the Government has increased early childhood subsidies to a record $2.7 billion and is working to reduce costs by removing unnecessary regulations.
Last week, the Government passed a law to make it easier for more ECE services to open in response to demand. Since February 1, 2023, bureaucratic rules have limited the opening of early childhood centers based on ECE network approval, but that issue has now been addressed.
The Ministry for Regulation will continue to review the 2,300 submissions as part of its ECE regulatory assessment, and Seymour looks forward to their recommendations.
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