B.C. government offers grants to boost early childhood education staff
Dec 21, 2007

VANCOUVER - The B.C. government is offering financial incentives to boost the number of early childhood educators in the province.

A new student loan assistance pilot program will provide up to $2,500 towards outstanding B.C. student loans of new early childhood education graduates.

And to entice more workers back, the province will bring in a grant program that will give up to $5,000 for those early childhood educators who haven't worked in the industry for at least two years.

Advanced Education Minister Murray Coell says a student's debt load could be reduced by as much as 38 per cent.

Minister of State for Child Care Linda Reid says these programs are a way to get people to choose early childhood education as a career and stay in the field.

It's all part of a government plan to address a shortage of early childhood educators and improve access to quality child-care spaces for families.