Western Bay of Plenty kindergartens are turning green in their efforts to get the Government to reverse funding cuts for early childhood education.

Negotiations for a new collective contract have stalled over qualified teacher funding and recognition of head teachers as the professional leader in the kindergarten.

Greerton Village Kindergarten's teachers Bonnie Jenson, Nadia Moon, Sue Carroll, Pam Hunton, Claire Sybers and Lara Fairweatner. Photo Bruce Barnard.

Papamoa Coast Kindergarten.

A national green day was held today in recognition of work kindergartens teachers do.

Papamoa Coast Kindergarten teacher Caroline Darby says New Zealand Kindergartens were hit hardest by significant cuts to ECE in 2011.

'Kindergartens have survived, but this is now having severe repercussions, with many kindergartens having to introduce fees and drastically trim budgets to stay afloat.

'The 2011 funding cuts took away any incentive to have all qualified teachers.” She says the Government removed the top band of funding traditionally received by NZ Kindergartens, forcing them to survive on less bulk funding.

The Government has dropped an earlier goal of ensuring that all kindergartens and ECE centres be staffed by fully qualified teachers, and will only fund for 80 percent of teachers to be fully qualified at any kindergarten or centre.

This has meant an average annual drop of $35,000 in funding per kindergarten, because kindergarten associations have continued to employ qualified teachers.

'New Zealand Kindergartens' commitment to keeping 100 per cent fully qualified teachers has held fast since then, knowing that qualified teachers make a significant difference in the lives of young children with regards to their education, their transition to school and the care shown to their families.

'Holding onto this commitment is becoming increasingly difficult, leaving teachers feeling vulnerable and parents saddened by this New Zealand tradition being under threat.”

Caroline says it's timely to challenge the Government to think differently about young children and families.

'We need our policy makers to consider how to effectively invest in their future outcomes.”

This week sees the launch of a new report by UNICEF named 'Kids Missing Out” This points out that New Zealand needs to be doing more for children.

'Apart from NZ kindergartens, this country is bereft of good public services for young children,” says Caroline.

'For too long now the Government have had a cavalier attitude to young children. Since 2007, which heralded the introduction of the 20 free hours scheme, the Ministry of Education have thrown public money into private hands, initially intended for community services such as NZ Kindergartens, without careful consideration of the impact on families.”

She says there is now a disturbing level of competition out there amongst private child care providers, resulting in heavy marketing that entices parents to leave their children all a bit too early and for too long.

'It's worrying our Government is encouraging this early separation of parents and children. NZ Kindergartens have become increasingly marginalised by the ever increasing number of private childcare providers being allowed to pop up on every corner.

'Many parents still want the part time, educational experience for their three and four-year-olds offered by Kindergartens.

'They value the teaching and learning experiences and age specific programme provided by qualified teachers, but without a reversal of the 2007 funding cuts, NZ Kindergartens look set to struggle further.”