Third of pre-schoolers not covered by 20-hours scheme
Page 1 of 2 10:42AM Monday July 02, 2007
By Stuart Dye
Photo / Steven McNicholl
Around a third of three and four-year-olds enrolled at teacher-led pre-schools will not be covered by the Government's 20-hours free policy, the Education Ministry confirmed today.
It released figures showing 38 per cent of centres covering 30 per cent of all enrolled three and four-year-olds had opted out of the scheme.
Take up rates varied hugely across regions, with 49 per cent of Auckland registered pre-schoolers not initially covered.
Miss Clark said that having a take-up rate of 70 per cent from day one was a "tremendous achievement".
"We've always been optimistic of good takeup and this is very good takeup," she told reporters.
Miss Clark said she expected the takeup to grow over time, particularly in areas with an initially low takeup like Auckland.
Since the takeup figures were collated on June 26, another 30 centres had already come forward to join and kohanga reos, about half of which were eligible, were currently considering whether to opt in.
The Education Ministry figures show the takeup was strongest in rural centres with fewer than 1000 people, where 85 per cent of eligible preschoolers were covered.
In major urban centres the figure was 68 per cent.
The cost of the policy is estimated at $178 million in the coming year.
The Ministry figures backed the findings of a survey released by the Early Childhood Council yesterday.
And the council - which represents 1000 centres caring for more than 50,000 children - says that of the remaining centres, almost half will make parents pay extra to cover the cost of the scheme.
The 20 free hours was introduced yesterday after being announced as a major plank of the Budget in 2004.
The council last night released figures from a survey of its own community and private childcare centres. It showed that rejection of the scheme was highest in Auckland, where more than half the centres will not offer the free hours.
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