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HomeNewsFORD GOVT. CONSIDERING CUTTING FULL-DAY KINDERGARTEN

FORD GOVT. CONSIDERING CUTTING FULL-DAY KINDERGARTEN

Nothing is set in stone yet, but as the Doug Ford government looks at tackling the provincial deficit, it has mused about possible education cuts – among them, full-day kindergarten.

Lori Ridley-Whyte is the regional president of the Elementary Teachers Federation, covering the area between Temagami and Hearst.

She says three- and four-year-olds don’t enter school to sit at desks.  They are involved in play-based learning.

“To build those skills around self-reliance and critical problem solving is so important,” she opines, “(and) by sacrificing this learning environment for our children, it’s only for short-term financial gain and their future is too important.”

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Lori Ridley-White, ETFO regional president. Photo credit: Lori Ridley-Whyte

Ridley-Whyte says a half-day doesn’t give teachers enough time to cover the curriculum.

 “With the play-based learning, it’s so important for the children to access these skills and build the self-reliance that they’re going to need later on.”

Ridley-Whyte adds that eliminating full-day kindergarten would result in crowding in home-based daycare.

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