ODT

QueenstownSeptember 15

Care providers told to balance demographics

Education Minister Hekia Parata was unable to attend the New Zealand HomeBased Childcare Association's conference in Queenstown on Saturday, but through a representative she issued a challenge to delegates.

DunedinJune 24

Educator role 'not just mum'

Home-based educators need to be proud and professional about what they do if they want to change people's perceptions of their work as "just babysitting" or "just being a mum at home", New Zealand Home Early Childhood Education Association president Carol Stovold says.

DunedinJune 1

ECE proposals welcomed

Early childhood education services in Dunedin have applauded a series of recommendations aimed at improving the quality of early childhood education (ECE) in New Zealand.

DunedinAugust 5

ECE reassurances as consultation ends

Education Minister Anne Tolley has been reassuring the early childhood education sector on the future of its services, as consultation on an independent task force's report comes to a close.

Central OtagoAugust 5

Kindy shortfall being met

The Central Otago Kindergarten Association is meeting a shortfall in funding so work can begin immediately on the new Maniototo Kindergarten.

OpinionJuly 24

Playcentres' problem is they don't fit into 'the system'

Playcentres must not be left to wither through lack of support, educationalist Bruce McMillan says.

DunedinJuly 24

Child-care costs pressure for families

An 11.7% increase in the cost of early childhood education has put increased pressure on the family budget.

DunedinJuly 24

Playcentres protest proposed cuts

The message of playcentre being a high-quality education option for parents, which was worthy of community and Government support, rang loud and clear through the Octagon, Dunedin, yesterday.

QueenstownJuly 3

Handy protest against kindy cuts

Pupils at Wakatipu Kindergarten let their hands do the talking on Thursday, with green paint used to put their handprints on pieces of paper, protesting proposed cuts to early childhood funding.

OpinionFebruary 1

Early education best investment we can make

David Clark argues that the Government's early education cuts will hit Dunedin families and children especially hard.

DunedinJanuary 28

Early childhood cuts reversal bid

A Dunedin early childhood education centre will be one of about a dozen nationwide to host the launch of a petition on Tuesday calling on the Government to reverse cuts to funding and commit to more investment in early childhood education.

DunedinDecember 3

Kindy rebuilding work put on hold

The Dunedin Kindergarten Association is putting building projects on hold, as government funding to the organisation is expected to drop by $1.2 million next year.

DunedinNovember 7

1000 march against cuts to early education

About 1000 people packed the Octagon, in Dunedin, on Saturday, to give the Government the clear message that cuts to early childhood education were not a popular move.

Central OtagoOctober 28

Govt cuts push up costs to parents

The Central Otago Kindergarten Association has been forced to raise costs to parents because of the Ministry of Education funding cuts to early-childhood education (ECE) announced in June.

QueenstownOctober 21

Montessori taking younger children

Queenstown Montessori is expanding its roll to 38, which will ease demand for pre-school places and give Wakatipu parents choice in the style of education they want for their children, the owner says.

DunedinOctober 13

Fears as playcentre asked to justify existence

Families using the Waldronville Playcentre are worried the land on which their facility is situated will be sold from underneath them if they cannot justify their existence to the Ministry of Education.

DunedinOctober 7

Specialists join education task force

Two Dunedin education specialists have been selected by the Ministry of Education for a controversial task force, set up to look at early childhood education (ECE) funding.

NationalOctober 7

Early childhood education taskforce announced

A taskforce has been set up to look at early childhood education (ECE) funding, which Labour says will see cuts.

QueenstownAugust 1

Learning centre opened

The smiles said it all at the official opening of the Arrowtown Early Learning Centre on Friday, the result of five years of research, lobbying, planning and applying for funding.

NationalJune 1

Some could pay more for early childhood education

Some parents could pay more for early childhood education under changes that will be announced in Thursday's budget, Prime Minister John Key says.

DunedinMay 24

Vow to fight cuts to early education

Early childhood education providers in Dunedin are not taking last week's budget cuts lying down.

DunedinMay 23

Early childhood meeting

The effects of cuts to early childhood education (ECE) will be discussed at a community meeting today.

DunedinMay 21

Couple build learning centre

What turns a medical scientist at Southern Community Laboratories into an early childhood education provider?

DunedinMay 21

Parents expected to cover shortfall as preschools lose

The biggest losers in the Budget could be New Zealand's youngest, as cuts to early childhood education (ECE) threaten quality in the sector.

NationalMay 18

Row over possible means testing for ECE

Any means testing for parents to get funding for early childhood education would be an election promise broken, Labour leader Phil Goff says.