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Parents of children at Auckland kindergartens are being urged to pressure the Government to make its "20 free hours" scheme more attractive.
The Auckland Kindergarten Association yesterday wrote to parents to say it had not yet decided whether to offer the Government's scheme in the 107 facilities it is responsible for.
While the association supports the policy, it has concerns about how workable it will be.
General manager Tanya Harvey said a decision on whether to offer the scheme was on hold until Education Minister Steve Maharey decided whether the terms of the policy would changed.
"He's shown himself to be reasonable and prepared to listen to the sector," Mrs Harvey said. "So tell him your views, and once he's made his final call - whatever that may be - we can have a look at it."
The Government is proposing to pay between $4.09 and $10.60 a child an hour for centres that join the early childhood education scheme.
But several centres have said they would struggle with those rates and might not offer the scheme.
Asked if her association was trying to pressure Mr Maharey into offering more money, Mrs Harvey said it was "like any other lobbying campaign".
"We're keeping our options open. He's said he wants the sector to work with him, so we really just need to take that in good faith [and] do our best to try to get him to see our point of view."
She would not speculate on what the association might do if the terms of the deal did not change.
