We need your help

online link to make your Submission online HERE (go to bottom of page)

Please also make sure that your submission has been accepted and that you get a Reference number.

Submissions close TODAY

Gidday to our International Friends from New Zealand

Our Government is in the process of trying to make it compulsory for beneficiaries to send their 3 – 5 year old children to a Government registered ECE (Early Childhood Education) centre for 15 hours a week. I believe that it is the Government’s plan eventually to make this compulsory for ALL 3 – 5 year olds. So we are fighting this Bill with all that we have.

The bill has gone through it’s 1st reading and at the moment we have until midnidght, 1 November 2012 to put in submissions (6am 1 November, Illinois time).

We have just realised that Australians and those from “other Countries” can put in online submissions.So I am now asking for you all to put in submissions – we only have today to do this.

This is the link for putting in submissions: http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/SC/MakeSub/2/d/6/50SCSS_SCF_00DBHOH_BILL11634_1-Social-Security-Benefit-Categories.htm (Then go to the bottom of the page to get the link for the submission page.)

All the information is in this link about the Bill: Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill, https://hef.org.nz/2012/make-a-submission-reject-compulsory-early-education-for-3-year-olds/. A good approach for those outside New Zealand would be to call New Zealand to keep to the Human Rights laws and consider the Research that Preschoolers do better at home than in an institution. Submissions all need to be original so please put them in your own words. 66 submissions already put in are here: https://hef.org.nz/beneficiaries/submissions/. Please see the further detailed information below for more suggestions.

Further information:

This bill if passed will require all children of beneficiary parents (domestic purposes, unemployment, disabiltiy and widows) to:

attend 15 hours a week Early Childhood Education (ECE) from age 3

attend school from age five or six

enrol with a General Practitioner

complete core WellChild/Tamariki Ora checks (these checks include immunisations)

I am concerned that the Bill will open a path to ECE and health checks being made compulsory for every child in New Zealand. The government will say that this is working so well for beneficiaries (and it won’t be) that they will want it to apply to everyone on the WFF and Family Support (two other benefits families in NZ get). Then to ALL 3- 5 year olds in a few years’ time.

I say this because of the experience we have with other issues in NZ and one that has been slowly changing over the years homosexual acceptance. We now have a Bill going through Parliament to make it legal for Homosexuals to marry. This pamphlet here also makes me think that they want to make the above compulsory for ALL 3 – 5 year olds. http://www.msd.govt.nz/documents/about-msd-and-our-work/work-programmes/better-public-services/supporting-vulerable-children/supporting-vulnerable-children-result-action-plan.pdf which includes:

Supporting vulnerable children

Result 2: Early childhood education: In 2016, 98 per cent of children starting school will have participated in quality early childhood education.

Result 3: Immunisation: Increase infant immunisation rates so that 95 per cent of eight month olds are fully immunised by December 2014 and this is maintained until 30 June 2017.

Result 4: Assaults on children: By 2017, we aim to halt the rise in children experiencing physical abuse and reduce current numbers by five per cent. —- (Why is Result 4 one ONLY 5%?)

Human Rights Laws:

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) Article 26 (3)

Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.

International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1976) Article 10 (1) and 13 (3)

3. The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to have respect for the liberty of parents and, when applicable, legal guardians to choose for their children schools, other than those established by the public authorities, which conform to such minimum educational standards as may be laid down or approved by the State and to ensure the religious and moral education of their children in conformity with their own convictions.

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1976) Article 18 (4)

4. The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to have respect for the liberty of parents and, when applicable, legal guardians to ensure the religious and moral education of their children in conformity with their own convictions.

Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (2000) Article 14 (3)

3. The freedom to found educational establishments with due respect for democratic principles and the right of parents to ensure the education and teaching of their children in conformity with their religious, philosophical and pedagogical convictions shall be respected, in accordance with the national laws governing the exercise of such freedom and right

European Convention on Human Rights (1952) Protocol 1, Article 2

No person shall be denied the right to education. In the exercise of any functions which it assumes in relation to education and to teaching, the State shall respect the right of parents to ensure such education and teaching in conformity with their own religious and philosophical convictions.

Plus

New Zealand Care of Children Act (2004) The important thing to note is that this law gives parents the right to make decisions about their child’s education and health: http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2004/0090/latest/DLM317414.html

The proposed Bill violates a parent’s right to choose where and how their child is to be educated; a right protected in the Care of Children Act 2004 (Clause 16(2)(d)), and in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International Standards (E/C.12/1999/10, Article 13.29).

Furthermore, the Education Act does not require any children under 6-years old to attend an early childhood education centre. The Act nowhere discriminates against children of beneficiaries. This Bill ignores the Education Act and coerces beneficiary parents to enroll their children.

Please remember that we only have today to get these submissions into the Select Committee. (6am 1 November, Illinios time)

Thank you to all of you who respond to this and write submissions for us. Please also send this email to others you think will write submissions for us. Thank you.

Blessings

Barbara Smith

Home Education Foundation

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