September 17th, 2024
Early childhood teachers across New Zealand are mobilising community support through a series of public meetings organised by the NZEI Te Riu Roa, seeking to avert potential pay cuts and counter concerning deregulatory moves by the government, according to a media release from NZEI Te Riu Roa.
These meetings, taking place nationwide from 6 to 24 May, will be open to the community for the first time. They aim to discuss the critical importance of maintaining current pay parity commitments and other pressing issues facing early childhood educators.
Virginia Oakly, a National Executive member of NZEI Te Riu Roa and a kindergarten teacher, expressed deep concerns over the government's recent regulatory review initiatives, which she claims are being advanced without adequate legislative backing from Parliament.
"There's a high degree of uncertainty and a lot of fear among those working in early childhood right now," Oakly said.
She criticised the swift pace of these regulatory changes and the government's apparent prioritisation of business interests over educational quality and teacher welfare.
Oakly also highlighted the risks of undermining hard-won rights like pay parity, noting that such setbacks could be "hugely detrimental" to the sector.
"We worked so hard to have those pay steps and to bring that in. It’s a positive change that plays an essential role in creating a sustainable workforce and attracting new teachers to the profession," she explained, referencing the ongoing severe staffing shortages.
Members of NZEI Te Riu Roa have invited MPs to these meetings to educate them on the challenges faced by early childhood teachers and to rally their support.
Oakly emphasised the importance of community understanding and involvement: "We want our communities to come out knowing what our priorities are and to be ready to stand up with teachers for the rights of our tamariki mokopuna to high-quality early childhood education, led by qualified teachers, with safe teacher-to-child ratios."