In both the 2009 and 2010 Budgets this Government has slashed funding for early childhood education, taking over $600M out of the sector. The cuts are deep, and they are real, and the biggest ones so far took effect on Monday November 1st.
All around Aotearoa NZ there has been a simmering concern about these cuts, which hurt children, families, teachers and support staff, early childhood services and ultimately our communities. Many centres are having to make impossible choices; laying off staff (including one kindergarten association who has had to make all their teacher aides redundant), increasing fees for children to attend, decreasing the quality of the education and care they offer, putting off much needed maintenance and upgrades. We should be increasing funding for our future, for our smallest citizens, not cutting it back!
In Auckland the simmering reaches a boiling point on Thursday night, with a community meeting which MPs have been invited to. It’s important that we get a good turnout, to show clearly and publicly the concerns so many parents and supporters have been expressing in letters to newspapers, calls to talkback, interviews with media, on Facebook and Twitter and blogs, and privately too.
Please consider coming along on Thursday, and bringing some friends. The details are:
What: Stop ECE cuts community meeting
Where: Kohia Teachers Centre, Gate 1, 78 Epsom Ave, Epsom (the old ACE campus)
When: Thursday 4th November from 6.30pm (starting in earnest closer to 7pm, don’t worry if you’re going to be late!)
More information on parking etc at the Facebook event page:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=116311708431034&num_event_invites=0
More info on the campaign in general at www.ecetogether.org.nz
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