Budget 2025: Key Investments in Early Learning

Written By ABC Business Sales ABC

Budget 2025 includes significant investments to strengthen early learning services across New Zealand, with a focus on accessibility, quality, and sustainability.

Major funding initiatives include:

  • $127.7 million to reduce wait times and address increasing demand for the Early Intervention Service (EIS).

  • $51.1 million to provide a 0.5% increase in both universal and targeted subsidies for the early childhood education (ECE) sector.*

  • $12.4 million to support children's oral language development and emerging literacy, including continued investment in the ENRICH programme.

  • $4.1 million to enhance the sustainability and data capability of the kōhanga reo network, which includes 416 kōhanga reo serving over 8,500 children. This investment will also enable the Ministry to collect more accurate and timely data, supporting improved outcomes in achievement and attendance.

  • $4.0 million to establish a Ministerial Advisory Group that will lead a comprehensive review of ECE funding and cover ongoing operational costs.

    In addition, Budget 2025 provides a 20% increase in funding for Study Awards to grow the EIS specialist workforce, along with a funding boost for EIS service providers that have not received a price adjustment since 2019.

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