The New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) this week welcomed the Government's offer to increase kindergarten teachers' pay in the next two years, to give them parity with primary teachers.
Representatives for some Otago kindergartens described the 4% increase as "long overdue'' and believed better pay might help attract staff to the profession.
NZEI national secretary Lynne Bruce said the increase showed the Government had a continued commitment to quality public early childhood education and to fair pay for early childhood teachers.
"The challenges to teachers are different in every age group, but the knowledge, skills and experience of teachers in all sectors must be recognised and well rewarded if we are to maintain a quality education system for all New Zealand children,'' she said.
Early childhood services were now facing a "severe teacher shortage'' and increased pay was a "significant way to recruit and retain quality teaching staff''.
Dunedin Kindergarten Association manager Christine Gale said the 72 member teachers at the association's 22 Dunedin kindergartens would benefit from the pay increase.
Mrs Gale agreed increased pay could help alleviate "significant teacher shortages''.
Member kindergartens needed more teachers as they worked to lower teacher to children ratios (from 1:15 to 1:10). The shortage was not related to fewer teachers entering the profession, she said.
While the changed ratios meant careful management strategies were needed during the transition period, Mrs Gale described initiative as a "wonderful quality model'' for teaching.
Dunedin Community Childcare Association president Dave Hanan said increased pay for early childhood teachers was "long overdue... and reflected the good work teachers were doing''.
Kindergarten teachers would also receive a $750 lump sum payment and nine weeks back pay at their new rate if they were NZEI union members on November 30 last year.
