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About early learning
Early learning helps children to be confident and curious about the world.
It helps your child to do better when they go to school or kura, and it helps them develop important skills to become strong, happy and successful in later life.
Early childhood education (ECE) is not compulsory but around 96.8% of children attend ECE.
Types of early learning
There are different types of ECE services and all learning that children experience at an ECE service or kōhanga reo is guided by the Te Whāriki curriculum framework.
Funding
The government subsidises all children who attend ECE for up to 6 hours a day (a total of 30 hours per week).
The 20 Hours ECE is a higher funding subsidy available for all children aged 3–5 years who attend ECE.
