The number of fully qualified teachers in Tauranga early childhood centres will increase no matter which political party forms the next government.

Both Labour and National are pledging more qualified teachers if elected.

Labour candidate for Tauranga Deborah Mahuta-Coyle says her party will boost funding to increase the number of qualified teachers, with the aim of reaching 100 per cent qualified staff.

To make this happen Deborah says Labour will reverse cuts made by the National-led government to higher funding rates at centres with 80 per cent qualified teachers.

'The government has cut early childhood education funding by $330million. Labour will reinstate this and use it to fund more qualified teachers.

'Since these cuts have been made, many centres, including ones here in Tauranga have been struggling to pay fees, and find the resources. Labour will reinstate the money and re-prioritise it.”

The government has spent $1.4 billion a year on early childhood education and Tauranga candidate for National Simon Bridges says his party is pledging an extra $550 million in the next four years.

'We are investing more than ever in early childhood education – the extra funding will go towards increasing participation and the number of qualified teachers.”

National will seek to achieve 80 per cent qualified teachers in each centre by 2012, an extension on the current 67 per cent.

Green Party Tauranga candidate Ian McLean says he supports 100 per cent qualified teachers in early childhood education, but only in centres where qualified teachers are used.

'There are centres that are run in other ways and use other models, such as playcentres, home based care and kohanga reo.

'In these places it is up to the centre to decide, we recognise this and want to make sure there is diversity of choice.”

Ian says kohanga reo already struggle to source trained teachers.

'We aim to have the best possible teachers in a place but acknowledge that not all places use qualified teachers.”

Simon says non-qualified early childhood educators have a key role to play in development.

'Non-qualified people make a huge contribution to early childhood. Playcentres are parent based and these other people make a big difference.”

At present the first 20 hours of early childhood education through some providers is free for parents.

Simon says National 'is absolutely committed to keeping the 20 hours free” if elected back into Parliament.

He says National has already extended 20 hours ECE to include playcentres, kohanga reo, and five-year-olds.

'This offers parents more choice in ECE and encourages the sector to be more responsive to parent's preferences.”

The Greens and Labour support the continuation of the 20 plus 10 hours a week subsidy.

Tauranga based early childhood education provider Footsteps is fully funded by the government to supply qualified teachers for home based childcare.

Owner and director Kevin Christie says the biggest issue for him is not the amount of funding, but the regulations determining who qualifies for early childhood education funding.

'There are children out there who do not qualify to be funded for our services, I think this needs to be addressed and changed.

'In some cases the company is paying for services to be provided for some children.

'I would like to see home based care on the same level as centre based.

'The amount of funding centre based care is exponentially more than home based and the regulations are also different.

'For example a teacher working in a centre based childcare provider with a child still qualifies for the 20 hour a week subsidy, whereas a teacher in home based with a child does not.”

Simon says National will put $91.8 million into community led participation with an extra 3500 ECE placements.

'There are certain communities where there are lower rates of participation, particularly amongst Maori and Pasifica, so we want to expand that out.”

Labour also says it will put special emphasis on the five per cent of New Zealand children that are high risk.