OECE in the media: Fears for kindergarten and quality in the sector with imminent funding review and putting free ECE lunches, and FamilyBoost on the mainstream news agenda
July 11, 2025.
The OECE’s chief advisor, Dr Sarah Alexander, spoke to reporter Hanna McCallum for her story on the financial pressure Wellington City Rudolf Steiner Kindergarten is under. Sarah said she was concerned the imminent funding review could lead to a reduction in quality and care in the sector, and an increase in large services. Read Hanna’s full report here.
In her story for The Post, The Press and The Waikato Times about the Family Boost changes, Kelly Dennett referenced our submission, in which we recommended increasing the rebate amount to 50% for low-income households, and applying the rebate cap per child, rather than per family.
Newsroom covered the story the OECE broke in June about how one in five ECE centres participating in the free lunch programme are privately owned (despite associate education minister David Seymour repeatedly saying only not-for-profit centres would be eligible).
