September 17th, 2024
The Early Childhood Council (ECC) has criticised the New Zealand government for implementing increased salary rates for early childhood education (ECE) teachers recruited from overseas without prior notification or additional funding. These changes, brought about through the Accredited Employer Work Visa initiative, have escalated tensions within the sector, placing financial strain on local ECE centres.
Zoom in: According to the ECC, the lack of communication from the Ministry of Education regarding the 6.6% increase in the Median Wage for Immigration - now at $31.61 per hour - has left ECE providers scrambling. This rate surpasses the domestic Pay Parity step four salary ($30.83), yet falls below step five ($32.59), creating a disparity between locally trained and overseas recruited teachers.
What they're saying: Simon Laube, CEO of the ECC, expressed frustration over the government's approach, highlighting the operational challenges faced by centre managers. "When the government introduces a compulsory pay rise, they should at least tell the employers that pay the bill," Laube remarked, emphasising the urgent need for policy clarity and support.
Between the lines: The policy has exacerbated existing funding issues within the sector, particularly affecting smaller centres with highly qualified staff. The ECC warns that the pursuit of pay parity, coupled with uncommunicated immigration rule changes, could lead to more closures, further exacerbating the teacher shortage crisis.
What's next: The ECC has appealed to the Education and Immigration Minister for an urgent review and simplification of the current immigration settings, aiming to alleviate the financial and operational pressures on ECE centres.
The bottom line: "Enough is enough - we should be trying to solve the teacher shortage, not maintaining confused policies like this that discourage people in New Zealand from being ECE teachers," Laube said, calling for immediate government action to address the sector's challenges.