"We know that good quality early childhood education helps kids achieve at school and beyond."
"However, there's still work to be done. The kids we haven't reached yet are generally the ones from vulnerable communities, who stand to benefit most from ECE."
The figures come in the wake of a Herald investigation into ECE participation that found the government was continuing with aggressive participation programmes despite widespread concerns about quality.
The reports, including briefings from ERO, the education ministry and sector advisory groups, warned that quality needed to be lifted, as poor quality ECE could be harmful and delay children's development.
Those most at risk were Maori, Pasifika and those in low socio-economic areas.
One report said a large number of services did not deliver culturally responsive education. It suggested up to 27,000 Maori kids were experiencing variable quality ECE and 8200 Pasifika were also in non-responsive services.
Following the release of today's statistics, Green Party MP Catherine Delahunty said the minister was deliberately putting children in the most vulnerable communities at risk from low quality ECE services.
"She was warned these kids are at risk from low quality services, but she's recruiting them anyway," Ms Delahunty said.
"Rather than targeting children in vulnerable communities for enrolment in early childhood enrolments, the Minister should stop recruiting them till she knows there are good quality services for them."
When questioned for the previous Herald article about quality concerns, Ms Parata said: "New Zealand's early childhood education services are overwhelmingly of a high quality, as shown by reviews of services by the Education Review Office."
This was despite saying in 2013 that there was "further work to do in raising the quality of governance, leadership and teaching in some areas."
The Herald is seeking further comment from the minister.
