Preschool for all
Moderators: Theodore, elliemaejune
In Ontario
Interesting debate.
In Ontario, our previous provincial government, had the framework in place to have a system in place for all children from the age of 1 1/2 to school and through. They called it the Early Years Programs. You can google the subject yourself.
Essentially, from early in the morning (8 am was the encouraged start time) till late after school (7 pm was the encouraged end time), they were trying to set up programs for children. The idea was that the working parent could have their child taken care of by the Province while they worked, whenever they worked.
Reasons cited were our province's percieved poor academic performances, the rise in children's crime and deiviant behaviors, etc.
The only reason I know this is because I was on the local Christian school's steering committee into setting up a Pre-school at the school and was researching government funding.
It really, really frightened me. If you read the literature packages provided, it rang with state/provincial dictated indoctrination.
It frowned upon parents being able to choose private and alternative methods to child care and rearing. Stating that given our current situation and popular culture, it would be best that the province take over.
This was not spelled out like this, but to someone who has studied communism, dictatorships, etc, it was there.
Thankfully our Federal government which was recently changed, removed the funding from the Provinces for that system, and decided to give each family a cheque that they could choose where to spend their dollars. Interestingly enough, it was one of the campaigne issues, especially when a member of the defeated government stated that "if the Conservative government were to do such a thing as individual cheques, that the money would be spent on beer."
Anyways... enough for the lesson on Ontarian Politics and goings-on. Oh, and the school decided to drop any persuit of Provincial funding. And, for the moment is not going to set up an Early Years Program.
In Ontario, our previous provincial government, had the framework in place to have a system in place for all children from the age of 1 1/2 to school and through. They called it the Early Years Programs. You can google the subject yourself.
Essentially, from early in the morning (8 am was the encouraged start time) till late after school (7 pm was the encouraged end time), they were trying to set up programs for children. The idea was that the working parent could have their child taken care of by the Province while they worked, whenever they worked.
Reasons cited were our province's percieved poor academic performances, the rise in children's crime and deiviant behaviors, etc.
The only reason I know this is because I was on the local Christian school's steering committee into setting up a Pre-school at the school and was researching government funding.
It really, really frightened me. If you read the literature packages provided, it rang with state/provincial dictated indoctrination.
It frowned upon parents being able to choose private and alternative methods to child care and rearing. Stating that given our current situation and popular culture, it would be best that the province take over.
This was not spelled out like this, but to someone who has studied communism, dictatorships, etc, it was there.
Thankfully our Federal government which was recently changed, removed the funding from the Provinces for that system, and decided to give each family a cheque that they could choose where to spend their dollars. Interestingly enough, it was one of the campaigne issues, especially when a member of the defeated government stated that "if the Conservative government were to do such a thing as individual cheques, that the money would be spent on beer."
Anyways... enough for the lesson on Ontarian Politics and goings-on. Oh, and the school decided to drop any persuit of Provincial funding. And, for the moment is not going to set up an Early Years Program.
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