The primary school union says the Government's award of more than $1 million to private businesses for early childhood education could set a dangerous precedent.
On Tuesday Education Minister Anne Tolley announced $1.4 million would be invested in early childhood education services in South Auckland, which is deemed a high priority area.
But the New Zealand Educational Institute says $1.1 million of that money has been awarded to three different private businesses as opposed to community-based services.
An NZEI spokesperson, Hayley Whittaker, says commercially-driven early childhood services do not reflect the communities they are in and are run for profit.
