The Quebec English School Boards Association (QESBA) has completed a ground-breaking study on the feasibility of creating Kindergarten programs for four year-old youngsters. The programs would focus on the child’s educational development rather than on simple child care, as day-care centres tend to do. A number of programs funded by the Ministère de l’Education, du Loisir et du Sport, operate currently, as do some community-initiated projects within the nine English school boards. The QESBA proposal goes much further.

“We are taking the ambitious step of inviting our school boards and, ultimately, the Ministry and all Quebecers to begin a serious public discussion about getting our kids started in school at four years-old,” said QESBA President Marcus Tabachnick. “The evidence is there: high-quality pre-Kindergarten programs have important and lasting effects on children’s development and success in school and beyond. I have heard of studies in the United States suggesting that for every dollar invested in children in these programs, eight dollars will be saved down the line in services otherwise required to address academic and behavioral difficulties. We’ve put together a feasibility study to instigate some activity on the subject, and we hope it will get things moving.” …

Source: CNW Group
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/April2007/27/c2329.html