The Sinking of the Early Childhood Education Flagship? Government's Plan to Privatise Kindergartens: The Bulkfunding Story

Abstract

Kindergartens in New Zealand have been viewed historically as the flagship for Government support of the early childhood sector (e.g. Wylie, 1992). The bulk funding of kindergarten operational grants introduced in the 1991 Budget indicated an ideological shift by Government towards the principles of the New Right ideology. This and other similar moves showed that Government's intention was to withdraw state support and encourage an early childhood sector which required a minimum of state intervention. This paper sets the bulk funding of kindergartens in its wider political and educational context and follows the progression of the policy from the 1991 Budget until the election of the first coalition government on 12th October 1996. It argues that this policy represents an attempt by government to privatise the kindergarten services. The paper describes the general economic and political climate as well as the educational background in New Zealand in the years prior to 1990 and the implementation of bulk funding. The philosophy and framework of the New Right ideology is examined, key advocates of this ideology are identified and their agenda with regard to the early childhood sector and kindergartens in particular is explored. A brief history of the kindergarten movement provides the background for an analysis of the events between 1990 and the election of 1996 identifying the characteristics of the New Right agenda which, this paper argues, underpinned Government's decisions. For the purposes of this paper 'kindergarten' refers only to free kindergartens represented by either the New Zealand