The 20 hours (free) programme: important choices ahead for New Zealand’s new government

Abstract

The 20 Hours Free programme was implemented in July 2007 after having been one of three new education policies announced in the Labour Party’s 2005 election manifesto. The new programme was the brainchild of Education Minister Trevor Mallard and provided 20 hours of government-funded early childhood education (ECE) for all three and four year olds, regardless of family income. When the Free ECE programme began, participation was large enough to affect the Consumer Price Index: ‘Education prices fell 5.2 percent [for the September quarter], due to lower prices for early childhood education as a result of changes to government funding’ (Statistics New  Zealand, 2007). The most recent data indicate that 86%of eligible services participate and 93% of eligible children participate (Ministry of Education, 2008). With its tremendous success, the 20 Hours Free ECE programme has become the biggest, most expensive early education programme in the country.