Labour extends free early childhood education plan

The Labour party will extend its 20 hours of free early childhood education to include private centres, doubling the cost of the policy, Prime Minister Helen Clark announced today.

Labour is extending its free education for children aged three and four at community-based, teacher-led childhood education centres to include all licensed teacher-led services from 2007.

The change will not encompass play centres but Labour will review the funding assistance they get.

"Labour is committed to ensuring every single child has the chance for the best possible start to their life," Miss Clark said. "Giving children access to good quality and affordable early education is a critical part of this commitment."

Miss Clark said under the policy families accessing these services would be $90 a week better off.

The expansion was possible because of stronger than expected government accounts and would cost $53 million above the estimated $52 million annual cost previously budgeted for.

An estimated 1000 extra services were estimated to benefit -- an estimated 1300 services were already covered by the policy.

Play centres are not teacher-led but the Government is looking at ways to ensure they are fairly resourced.

The National Party has promised tax breaks for all types of childcare for preschool children of working parents.

If National is elected, the policy would come into effect next April and would allow parents to claim back 33 per cent of up to $5000 in preschool childcare costs -- a maximum of $1650 per child.

National estimated it would cost $160 million a year and would be partly funded by axing Labour's plans for the 20 hours free education.

Early childhood education services include play centres, home-based care providers, kohanga reo, education and care services, kindergartens, licence-exempt playgroups and the Correspondence School.

There were just over 160,000 children enrolled at licensed early childhood education services last year.

- NZPA