After decades of progress in building a quality early childhood education and care sector, the Liberal Party has revealed its election plan to gut the sector by slashing the number of qualified educators.<\/p>\n
Last night NSW Liberal Party frontbencher Jacqui Munro revealed the Liberal Party\u2019s proposal to diminish the early childhood education and care sector by drastically cutting the number of qualified educators.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is an \u2018Oops, I said it out loud\u2019 moment that shows the Liberals intend to slash and burn in early childhood if they are re-elected to Government, overturning the great work Labor has done in this area,\u201d United Workers Union National President Jo Schofield said today.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf this policy position were implemented, children would be at risk and educators would be running for the door.\u201d<\/p>\n
Under Ms Munro\u2019s Liberal Party policy proposition, Liberals would blow out current educator-to-child ratios to one educator for 50 children.<\/p>\n
Currently under the National Quality Framework the maximum ratio of educator-to-child ratios for children over three and before preschool is a maximum of one educator for 10 children \u2013 with sharply reduced ratios for younger children.<\/p>\n
Educators must either hold or actively be working towards qualifications in early childhood education and care.<\/p>\n
But in a speech in NSW Parliament\u2019s upper house yesterday, Ms Munro bluntly stated that regulations on ratios should change to cut costs in the sector.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are ways we can make childcare cheaper. We can change the regulations around educators who are childcare providers,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t need five or six highly educated people to look after 50 kids. Maybe we need one.\u201d<\/p>\n
Additional quotes attributable to United Workers Union National President Jo Schofield:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cIn contrast to the Albanese Labor Government\u2019s commitment to supporting families and children in the crucial early years, the Liberals have revealed their recipe of cuts and chaos in early learning.<\/p>\n \u201cSenior Liberals are contemplating drastic reforms to dumb down the sector, reversing literally decades of progress.<\/p>\n \u201cPeter Dutton has mocked the 15 per cent pay rise for educators, and has stood against Labor reforms to the ECEC sector.<\/p>\n \u201cIf this is formal Liberal Party policy he needs to be frank with the Australian public about the cuts he intends to implement.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Liberals are showing no respect for Australian children and ignoring the science that shows children in their early years are developing social skills that stand them in good stead for the rest of their lives.<\/p>\n \u201cThe difference shown by the Albanese Labor Government’s commitment to early childhood education and care is stark.<\/p>\n \u201cLabor has cut the costs of early childhood education and care by $2700 for the average family, has stabilised the sector by implementing a 15 per cent pay rise for educators, and has promised a $1 billion fund to build 160 childcare centres in so-called childcare deserts.\u201d<\/p>\n