The Early Childhood Education Steering Group, being a
group of ECE sectors leaders representing employers on the
Teachers Pay Equity Claim, expresses deep regret at the
cessation of the pay equity process for early childhood
teachers following recent legislative changes to the Equal
Pay Act.
Over the past five years, the ECE Steering
Group has worked alongside the Ministry of Education,
unions, and other sector representatives to progress a pay
equity claim that sought to fairly value the work of more
than 90,000 teachers and leaders across early childhood,
primary and secondary education – most of whom are women.
The claim aimed to address longstanding gender-based pay
inequities in teaching and to recognise the vital
contribution of the profession.
“We are deeply
disappointed that this significant and collaborative process
has come to an end. It represented a once-in-a-generation
opportunity to ensure teaching is valued equitably alongside
other professions,” the Chair of the ECE Steering Group,
Kathy Wolfe said.
“$12 billion to value the work of
women gone up in smoke. The work of women and wāhine
-particularly in early childhood education – has been
undervalued for generations. Removing access to this funding
not only denies teachers and kaiako a fair outcome but also
undermines decades of advocacy, research, and commitment to
gender equity across Aotearoa.”
“With
over 90% of the early childhood education workforce
identifying as female, the discontinuation of this process
raises serious concerns about the ongoing recognition and
reward of women’s work in
Aotearoa.”
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“ECE employers, teachers,
and sector organisations invested four and a half years of
time and unfunded resource into this process because they
believed in its value and the importance of achieving a just
and evidence-based outcome. The claim’s abrupt ending will
impact the sector’s ability to retain and attract teachers
– at a time when shortages are already being felt across
early learning and schooling.”
“Given the
significance of this legislation, consultation on proposed
changes would have been a more appropriate avenue instead of
complete termination of the current claim. These changes
potentially undermine employers’ ability to express the
value they place on their staff and now that position even
got harder with only 0.5% increase in funding for
ECE.”
“The ECE Steering Group remains committed to
advocating for the fair recognition of the early childhood
education workforce and to ensuring tamariki and whānau
continue to receive high-quality teaching and
education.”
“After all, education in Aotearoa New
Zealand should be about valuing and empowering our teachers
and kaiako to ensure our tamariki mokopuna flourish and
succeed in their own learning journeys,” says Mrs
Wolfe.
