It’s not the idea, it’s the timing of it Government should have taken more time before changing school start dates. STAFF The Guardian
The Ghiz government has made a general habit of holding public consultations before making a decision on policy. In just the past several months, it has held, or is in the process of holding, public consultations or legislative hearings on a plethora of issues. They include such diverse topics as recreational fisheries, Polar Seafoods, Sunday shopping, cosmetic pesticides, child care, disability services, Island heritage, pre-budget hearings, Buy P.E.I., employment standards, home-heating costs, renewable energy strategy, canned pop and now a biofuels and renewable energy strategy.
The government is hesitant to make a decision until there is a general consensus for or against. It makes one wonder if this government has a firm stand on anything. So it came as a stunning surprise when the government decided late last week to make a major change to the age when children enter kindergarten and school. Previously, children were required to be five years old by Aug. 31 to start kindergarten, and six years old by Aug. 31 to start school. The date will now change to Oct. 31, beginning in the 2008-2009 school year. The new policy means that approximately 250 additional children will be eligible to attend kindergarten and school this fall. Although kindergarten is not compulsory, over 95 per cent of Island children are enrolled in kindergarten programs.
Kindergarten is one area where parents need lots of time to look for the right facility, get on a waiting list, and budget for the expense. Parents didn’t need to be panicked into making rash decisions. The announcement last Thursday came without warning for the majority involved in early childhood learning, who were given just three days warning to modify lesson plans for the rest of the year and accommodate new children who had never been to kindergarten before. It appears that a small, vocal minority stampeded government into making a rash decision, leaving parents and teachers scrambling to make sense of the whole thing.
Parents don’t want to hold their children back while friends move on. So, during a meeting on Monday, the Education Department told early learning educators and operators they don’t have to try to catch them up. Instead, they are being asked to offer these children a ‘readiness program.’ Yet a senior staffer warned parents this is not the recommended route for children. If senior staff hasn’t signed on, why is the department proceeding? The readiness program is not ready because staff is still scrambling to put it together.
Premier Ghiz says the revised policy reflects government’s commitment to learning, beginning in the early years, saying new research indicates young children benefit from being in a structured learning environment. Education Minister Gerard Greenan said the new policy responds to parent concerns; he was hearing from more and more parents with children born in the early fall who feel that their children are ready for school and kindergarten.
This past Monday was the first day of kindergarten for a number of five-year-olds across the province who won’t be getting the same program as their new classmates who’ve been enrolled since September.
The new eligibility date will put the P.E.I. start date more in line with the rest of the country, so the issue isn’t the change of dates; it’s the absence of consultation with stakeholders. There should have been a year or more advance warning given.
The key issue should have been what’s best for the child. That wasn’t addressed properly here. Greenan had better be prepared for some tough questions when the house opens next month.
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countrydove from Charlottetown, Pe writes: The Ghiz government said they would be open and accountable to the public. Someone please explain to me what is wrong with public consultation before a decision is made that affects many people. The people of Prince Edward Island asked for it this way before a decision was made. Maybe if the PC's had done so maybe so many of them would not have been voted out of office. Oh, sure they had town hall meetings, but did they listen to the people . No, they fed their own agenda and their greedy followers. Who knows for sure how smart a child is until given the chance. Some are fast learners and some are slow. Some learn by seeing and doing and others learn by reading. Some have very vivid memories. Parents are so busy today with work and themselves they don't give some children a chance. They expect the day cares and kindergarten teachers to do it for them. Only one of my children had kindergarten and the 30 some year olds are doing very well.
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Angela Kelly from Summerside, PEI writes: The timing of this announcement could not have come at a worse time. Already kindergarten programs are nearly wrapping up there school year and you are asking families of children including some chidren who have never before been in a preschool program to adjust to a kindergarten program for 3 months and then be place into another program in september(school)!
The elected government (Premier Ghiz) keeps referring to the revised policy that reflects government’s commitment to learning, beginning in the early years, saying new research indicates young children benefit from being in a structured learning environment.
Well i ask this ....what in the governments eyes is a kindergarten program if it doesnt offer routine, structure, learning opportunities and room to grow.
the Education Department told early learning educators and operators they don’t have to try to catch them up. Instead, they are being asked to offer these children a ‘readiness program.’ Yet a senior staffer warned parents this is not the recommended route for children.
If senior staff hasn’t signed on, why is the department proceeding? The readiness program is not ready because staff is still scrambling to put it together.
The government has already announced the budget for education for the school year 2008-2009 correct me if im wrong.... so did that budget allow for more teacher assistants, does it allow for a reading recovery resource team on top of what is already in place to help the children who do not get the full kindergarten curriculium , the same curriculium that the department of education developed and is now saying dont focus on your curriculium ....focus on the socialization in your program and make sure they can do the daily living skills needed such as toileting skills and self awareness skills!
I ask this....if the kindergarten program was a full day program... fully subsidized by government(FREE) and there was trasnportation provided to and from the programs that are currently in place right now as we know it(comunity based kindergarten in child care centres) would you continue to want it in a school setting?
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Bill from PEI writes: In regards to final comments by Angela Kelly from Summerside, I believe that kindergarten programs need to be offered out of school settings with qualified instructors who hold a Batchelor of Education Degree
and Teaching Certificate. Would we allow anyone less qualified to teach the children in our schools at any other level? It's time for government to stop
pussyfooting around this issue and the idea of community based kindergarten programs. Most children do not attend community based schools, unless they are lucky enough to live in the same community where the school happens to be located. This tactic appears to be nothing more than a way of avoiding the real issue, that of moving these programs into schools and paying the salaries and benefits necessary to hire qualified workers.
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