NEWS

Mr. McGuinty announced a list of almost 600 schools across the province that will provide all-day instruction to four- and five-year-olds. By 2015, when the program is fully implemented, the Liberal government claims the price tag will be $1.5 billion annually.

Some school boards say the program is poorly thought out, details are vague.  Many boards say projections for funding the all-day kindergarten program look too sparse.

The Minister of Education is already calling on boards to help families out by extending child-care services at school throughout the calendar year. The province is proposing that the extended services cover statutory holidays, PD days and the summertime.

The Minister would not rule out making the year-round component mandatory by the time the all-day kindergarten program is implemented across the province for the

2015-16 school year.

The full day kindergarten program will only further stretch the very limited tax dollars available to provide existing education programs.

When the Minister of Finance finally revealed the full extent of Ontario’s  $24.7 billion deficit, Dwight Duncan declared that the province would have to make “difficult choices” to eliminate the shortfall.  Clearly, this government, under Dalton McGuinty’s leadership has yet to show any restraint in spending.

QUOTES

“School Boards already face significant funding challenges for special education; building maintenance and new projects like the Almaguin Secondary School.  In light of the province’s $24.7 billion deficit, is this really the right time to implement the full day kindergarten program.”

 – Norm Miller, MPP

“The timing of this announcement proves that Mr. McGuinty is incapable of making the difficult decisions to control government spending and reduce the deficit.”

– Norm Miller, MPP