The NSW/ACT IEU welcomes yesterday's announcement by the State Government that it will provide $5 billion over 10 years to early childhood education, including a plan to build more centres in so-called 'childcare desserts' in suburban, regional and rural NSW.
However, the union, which represents degree qualified early childhood teachers, has several questions about the funding:
· How will these new centres be staffed? There are already serious staff shortages all over NSW.
· What guarantees are there that the funding directed at for-profit centres will be used to improve low salaries and attract and retain staff, rather than to increase profits?
"At the end of the day, unless the fundamental problem of low salaries for early childhood education staff is addressed, the persistent problems of shortages in the sector will continue," NSW/ACT IEU Secretary Mark Northam said.
"Existing preschools and long day care centres are struggling to find staff to cover their rosters right now, so I am baffled about how the proposed new centres will be managed," Northam said.
"Unless action which encourages more people to work in the sector, and to stay working in the sector long term is taken, the current crisis will continue.
"Our experience is that not-for-profit organisations better understand the value of retaining long term, highly qualified teachers by paying above award rates of pay and offering improved working conditions. Commercial operators generally tend not to pay above award rates."
Part of the Perrottet package includes $25,000 scholarships to study early childhood degrees. However, again the IEU asks, what incentives will there be to encourage graduates to take up a career in early childhood education?
Graduates qualified to teach 0-12s can achieve much higher salaries working in primary schools.
"Until we recognise that degree qualified early childhood teachers must be paid the same as their colleagues in schools, the drain from early childhood centres to primary schools will continue," Northam said.
"We look forward to seeing
