Nova Scotia’s education minister says it’s “full steam ahead” with a proposed expansion of pre-primary classes for four-year-olds, brushing aside opposition critics who are calling for a one-year delay to ensure adequate staffing levels.
The Progressive Conservatives and the NDP said Monday that the lack of information around such things as staffing and curriculum so close to the beginning of the school year means consultation is needed to ensure the program is sound.
But Education Minister Zach Churchill made it clear the government won’t be backing away from what was a key commitment during last spring’s election campaign.
“This is full steam ahead,” said Churchill of a rollout targeted for completion by the end of September.
READ MORE: Nova Scotia pre-primary program gets mixed response
“This programming is too important for our kids for us to delay the rolling-out of it. We are going to push as aggressively as we can to get this program going and we are going to tackle each challenge that arises as we move forward.”
The pre-primary program is to be introduced across the province over the next four years at a cost of $49.9 million a year.
In mid-July, Churchill announced a list of 30 new classrooms that would be added to 20 existing classes at 43 locations across the province, but he also warned that staffing would pose a “challenge.” He also made it clear that class availability would be contingent on the numbers of available early childhood educators.
The government plan requires one early childhood educator for every 10 children in a class, with a maximum of 24 children per class.
READ MORE: Still no firm numbers on trained staff weeks before N.S. pre-primary launch
According to a statement provided to Global News by the Department of Education on Monday, the government has received more than 840 completed online pre-registrations.
“At this point, most of the (hiring) competitions have now closed and the boards are aggressively involved in the hiring process,” wrote Heather Fairbairn, a spokesperson with the department.
“We are working closely with the boards and remain confident in their ability to fill the positions.”
The government says that it working to have classes ready for the last week of September though if a program can be opened sooner the department says parents will be notified.
“A program will not open until qualified Early Childhood Educators are hired and we are assured the program can be implemented properly,” wrote Fairbairn.
WATCH: Worries mount for private, non-profit childcare centres ahead of pre-primary rollout
Tory education critic Tim Halman said the system would be better served if the government held off on pre-primary’s expansion until next fall.
“I sense that this is a government that’s moving too quickly to fulfil a political promise rather then focusing on building a pedagogically sound program,” said Halman.
NDP education critic Claudia Chender said taking “a step back” would also give the government an opportunity to minimize the impact on private, non-profit providers who fear losing staff to the public system.
“It’s happening too quickly with no consultation and as a result everyone … is pretty much left in the dark and that’s a pretty challenging place to be when you are rolling out a major program,” said Chender.
Last week a veteran private provider expressed concern on the potential loss of staff to the public system.
Pamela Streeter, who runs several early education programs including pre-primary at Creative Kids Education Centre in Hammonds Plains, also said the uncertainty was creating problems for parents who are trying to plan child care.
The government has promised consultations for the fall, talks Churchill said would move ahead.
“I know there is stress in that sector right now, said Churchill. “In order for this to work … we do have to be working in concert with one another.”
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