2010 ECE Service Teacher Education Grant Information Pack and Application Form
The Ministry of Education has reviewed and revised the Incentive Grant Scheme. Renamed the ECE Service Teacher Education Grant (ECESTEG), it will support teacher-led, centre-based services to the 2012 teacher registration target of 80%.
High standards in ECE provision is a Government commitment and qualified and registered teachers play an important role in this. Evidence shows strong links between teacher qualifications and better educational outcomes for children.
Although Ministry of Education data indicates that the overall number of qualified and registered ECE teachers will meet the Government’s target of 80% registered teachers by 2012, these teachers will not be distributed evenly across all ECE centres. Some services in lower socio-economic and rural and isolated areas have difficulty finding qualified and registered teachers. There is also a shortage of qualified and registered teachers with Māori or Pasifika language, skills and cultural knowledge.
For this reason there has been a shift from a universal approach to a targeted approach for the allocation of resources. This shift aims to improve quality for areas and services that have the greatest need of Government assistance.
The ECESTEG now more effectively targets ECE services, with the greatest need, to support their staff to obtain ECE teaching qualifications. Teacher-led, centre-based ECE services which are funded for less than 80% registered teachers will be eligible for the ECESTEG and priority will be given services:
- that continue to have a shortage of qualified and registered teachers;
- with Māori or Pasifika language, skills and cultural knowledge;
- in lower socio-economic areas; and
- in rural and isolated areas.
The ECESTEG will assist these services to attract student teachers to work in their service, or support unqualified staff members through an approved programme of study.
This aims to, over time, increase the number of qualified and registered teachers employed in services that are having difficulty reaching the 80% registered teacher target.
The value of the ECESTEG has been increased from $2,094 to $3,375 to assist with the costs services incur while supporting a student through study.
The ECESTEG will be paid to services with approved applications in late July 2010.
Applications Open 26th April 2010
Applications Close 1st June 2010
An information pack and application form is available in the download box located on the top right hand side of this page. There is also guidance information available in the download section.