Anna Rutten (15 March) feels the need to negatively compare kindergartens with childcare with little apparent understanding of kindergartens operations.
I can't help but wonder whether these comparisons have anything to do with the failure of their child care centres to maintain full rolls. Also implied is that kindergartens aren't concerned with the environment.
For the record;
• All 20 Tauranga Kindergartens participate in the EnviroSchools programme; two have achieved Green-Gold Awards, two silver and five bronze to date;
• Some of our kindergartens provide up to 30 hours free ECE and only five are still sessional;
• We regularly consult with our communities in establishing the hours of operation;
• Kindergarten is regarded as the best preparation for school;
• We have just over 500 children on our waiting lists.
I also note that Kidicorp continues to take advantage of the kindergarten brand by increasing the number of its centres referred to erroneously as ‘community kindies'. If kindergartens are not meeting community need then why is the biggest for-profit provider trying to emulate us?

Peter Monteith, Principal
Tauranga Region Kindergartens.