All-day kindergarten gets numerous positive reviews: Up to 1,000 new teachers will need to be hired for program
By Robert Barron
Daily News
August 28, 2009

Parents, teachers and early-learning specialists are welcoming the announcement in Tuesday's throne speech that the government intends to implement full-day kindergarten for five-year-olds in September 2010, even though the plan is short on specifics.

The government began planning to expand the province's kindergarten programs after research suggested that during this time there are windows of opportunity when children are especially receptive to experiences that can shape their entire lives. The Liberals first promised expanded kindergarten for five-year-olds by the fall of 2009, followed by a program for three- and four-year-olds by 2012, but delayed the program because of concerns about cost, staffing and the space required.

It's estimated that annual costs would be about $600 million and that up to 1,000 additional teachers would have to be hired to accommodate the new kindergarten program.

"We'll have more information on the details of the plan for all-day kindergarten after the budget is tabled next week, but I can say it won't be implemented in all schools right away next fall and the new program will be introduced gradually," Education Minister Margaret MacDiarmid told the Daily News on Thursday. "There's no doubt these are challenging financial times, but early learning initiatives remain strong priorities for this government."

MacDiarmid assured school districts that additional money will be made available to help them cover the increased costs through their annual operating grants. MacDiarmid said while hundreds of additional teachers will be required when the new program is implemented, with many teacher layoffs in previous years as a result of decreasing enrolment, she expects finding available and qualified teachers shouldn't be a problem.

"The province's parents are showing great enthusiasm for our early learning initiatives, including our plans to expand kindergarten, because of all the studies that conclude that they make a huge difference in their children's success in school in later years," MacDiarmid said….

A spokesman for the region's day care industry, which may see its business drop when the plan is implemented, particularly if the government goes ahead with plans to introduce kindergarten programs for three- and four year-olds in coming years, said expanding early learning programs in B.C. has its merits but acknowledged that the devil may be in the details.

Dianne Magor, executive director of Nanaimo's PacificCare, a child care resource and referral service provider, said she sees a number of advantages to having expanded educational programs for children, including the fact that having them in school earlier and longer means many cash-strapped parents will get a break from having to pay expensive day-care bills.

But she expressed concerns that many day cares in the city, and across the province, may be put in jeopardy with the new plans….

MacDiarmid said: "As for B.C.'s day cares, there has always been a great need for more of them and I don't see that changing in the future, despite our educational plans. We'll be able to provide more information to the public after the budget."