Nova Scotia pre-primary classes will be up and running by end of week says education minister

Nova Scotia’s education minister says the government’s promised expansion of pre-primary classes for four-year-olds will be completely up and running by the end of this week.

Zach Churchill says a full complement of early childhood educators has been hired to teach in all 50 classes in 43 locations across the province.

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READ MORE: Nova Scotia should delay expansion of pre-primary until next fall says opposition

Churchill, who made the announcement today at a pre-primary class in Lower Sackville, says an additional two classes will also open within the first two weeks of October, bringing the total number of classes this year to 52.

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He says 818 children have enrolled for the pre-primary program.

WATCH: Worries mount for private, non-profit childcare centres ahead of pre-primary rollout

1:57 Worries mount for private, non-profit childcare centres ahead of pre-primary rollout

Churchill says the next step is a consultation process later this fall with the private non-profit sector, during which the groundwork will be laid for phase two of the rollout, which will tentatively see another 70 classes added to the system next September.

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He says the initial startup cost for the 52 classes is $6.5 million, or about $125,000 per class.