Axing Ontario's full-day kindergarten could hurt children, families: expert
The future of full-day kindergarten in Ontario is in question.
Premier Doug Ford was vague with reporters on Wednesday when questioned about the future of the program, which was introduced by former Liberal premier Dalton McGuinty, and fully implemented in 2014.
“I can tell you that there’s going to be all-day kindergarten next year and we’ll sit down and you’ll hear from us in the future,” he said, adding that any decision made will only improve things, and not make them worse.
Although full-day kindergarten saves families thousands of dollars a year, it is said to cost the government $1.5 billion annually.
According to analysts, the full-day program is a genuine benefit to children’s development.
Research conducted by the Ministry of Education shows that full-day kindergarten lowers risks in language and cognitive development and leads to stronger academic performance in Grade 1. Additional research from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education reports that children who had attended full-day kindergarten did better on reading, writing and number knowledge, and were better able to self-regulate, or manage stress.
Some parents took to Twitter to express their concern – and support – of the potential change.
Having had one child who didn't get two years of full-day kindergarten while out of #Ontario and one who did, I can attest to how valuable the program is for families and children. #SaveFullDayKindergarten #ResistFord
— Karen Y K (@Karen_Y_K) January 31, 2019
I feel like just because #DougFord's family hated school, he assumes the rest of Ontario must, too. But eliminating full-day Kindergarten is NOT in Ontario's interests. #OnPoli
— Sarah Sahagian (@sarahsahagian) January 31, 2019
Connect the dots…one of the reasons Libs could roll out full day kindergarten was dropping school enrolment. Killing it now leaves 11% hole in student count. That means more empty school space or lots of school closures. Hope rural Ontario is listening.
— Matthew Peloza (@MatthewPeloza) January 31, 2019
Ontario moving to full-day Kindergarten was partly good idea but expensive for sure. A better option would have been to support half day daycare housed within schools. Would be cheaper and provide day long care parents need. Don't expect that from Cons. #onpoli
— Yeah Right Inc. (@yeahrightinc) January 30, 2019
Cutting Full Day Kindergarten part of your plan to thank educators and RECEs?Or is this part of how you plan to keep women out of the workforce when they can’t afford daycare?Get ready to tangle with Ontario teachers & parents,because we aren’t buying any of what you are selling
— Sandra Coniglio (@ms_coniglio) January 30, 2019
The benefits of full day kindergarten according to Ontario Ministry of Education. It was established to avoid day care expansion cost but under @fordnation we’ll have neither. Happy PC voters? https://t.co/Dzd3CaKmQy
— B Jane Millan (@bjanemillan) January 30, 2019
Cancelling full day kindergarten would be incredibly stupid. It would reduce women's labour force attachment which would damage Ontario's economy further. It would also disadvantage people of lower socioeconomic means #onpoli #DougFord
— Feisty Jamaican (@ja_brightside) January 31, 2019
Don Giesbrecht, CEO with the Canadian Childcare Federation, says the initial decision to introduce full-day kindergarten wasn’t a plan that came about lightly.
“It was done after broad consultation, lots of evidence-based research on how young children grow and develop, and is part of a much broader plan…in regards to the earlier years,” he tells Yahoo Canada.
Giesbrecht says to dismiss the program that’s currently in place would also mean disregarding the science behind early childhood development and the substantial amount of consultation, process and consideration that went into making the decision.
Ontario and Quebec, which has subsidized daycare, are often considered to be the leaders in child care in Canada, Giesbrecht says, based on systems that start at birth.
“Ontario has really been very progressive and for a lot of people outside of the province, it’s very much looked at as, ‘okay, we need to learn what’s going on in that province,” he says.
Giesbrecht questions how the different educational systems in the provinces will adapt to such a significant change.
“The school system, the child care system…they will not be ready for this,” says Giesbrecht. “It’s a serious discussion. To just say ‘we promised to save money’ is really short-sighted. When you start to move back on that, it has ripple effects.”
