N.S. Liberals to begin rollout of promised pre-primary program this September
HALIFAX — Nova Scotia’s Liberal government announced the rollout of a key election campaign promise to provide a free pre-primary program for four-year-olds across the province Tuesday, prompting critics to charge that it is acting in haste while undercutting existing non-profit providers.
Education Minister Zach Churchill said 30 new classrooms would be added to 20 existing classes beginning in September, meaning the play-based learning program would be offered in 50 classrooms at 43 locations across the province.
“We know based on evidence how important pre-primary programming is,” said Churchill. “This is going to help our children transition into an academic learning environment, it will help them socialize in that environment, and we know that it will have outcomes that will impact their lives.”
The plan is to have the program in place for all four-year-olds over the next four years at an estimated cost of $49.9 million a year. But Churchill said an additional $750,000 was needed to expand the program, boosting the initial estimated price tag in the first year to just over $4 million.