KEY POINTS:
A woman describing herself as "simply a mum who is trying to get ahead" has lost her complaint about the Labour Party's pledge of funding for 20 hours' free early childhood education.
But R. Jennings did get some sympathy from a minority on the Advertising Complaints Board.
She told the board that the pledge, offering the 20 hours' free education for 3- and 4-year-olds attending any licensed, teacher-led services from last July, was "grossly misleading, deceptive, socially irresponsible and completely untrue".
As a result of the ad, on Labour's website, on television and radio and print advertising late last year and early this year, she said she committed to working three days a week on a landscaping contract, thinking her son would have 20 hours' free education.
This involved moving her family to more expensive accommodation.
"I relied on the three days' free daycare for my 3-year-old to make this opportunity worthwhile for our family and also when pricing the work.
"Now I am struggling to pay for daycare, as I am now earning more but I am not eligible for the same [welfare] subsidy I was receiving prior to taking on this work."
Ms Jennings said she had no access to the free early childhood education and her family were suffering as a result.
"I just simply am a mum who is trying to get ahead."
The Labour Party said it had provided funding for 20 hours' free education "in the specified contexts". It said the funding had been provided, "but the take-up is dependent on other factors beyond the Government's control".
The complaints board said an offer had been made by the Ministry of Education, but whether it was taken up by all providers - and the fact the service was not available in some areas - did not fall within the board's jurisdiction.
"In addition, it was the majority view that the promotion promised funding for the service, and not as the complainant implied, the service itself."
It also said that as the promotion was a plan of what Labour was offering, the use of the word "free" was justifiable.
A minority said the offer was clear and unambiguous - and that a promise was a promise.
"The minority sympathised with the complainant's situation and concluded that Labour's promise should have been fulfilled in its entirety."
Trustees urge funding boost
The Government needs to "step up" and provide funding for a decent education system, the New Zealand School Trustee Association said yesterday.
The association said the Government had to stop relying on communities to keep schools afloat.
Its general manager, Ray Newport, said it was time the Government showed a greater commitment to supporting the 2550 boards of trustees.
"It is unrealistic for any Government to continually expect the school community to raise upwards of $500 million each year in locally raised funds to subsidise the day-to-day running of New Zealand schools," he said.
Mr Newport said he hoped the Government would acknowledge the issues facing schools and ensure better support was a priority in 2008.
"Our best students are achieving amongst the best in the world, and there are positive signs that those students who have historically underachieved are improving."
However, that progress had been achieved with little support from the Government in the critical areas of training, specialist support in human resource areas, and in the fundingof boards' operational grants, Mr Newport said.
" If we want a world-class education that properly prepares our students for the 21st century, then the Government needs to step up to the plate and properly address the support and funding needs of boards and schools."
- NZPA
