CBC News | October 16, 2019
Excerpt: "P.E.I. Premier Dennis King says his government hopes to launch a new half-day, public pre-kindergarten program in the fall of 2020.
The promise of the optional program for four-year-old Island children was a key component of the education platform the PCs put forward during the 2019 election campaign.
"There's a lot of questions that we have to still work out, but our goal would be to have that functional by September 2020," said King.
Officials with the province said 75 per cent of Island children already attend an early childhood program. There are also a dozen early childhood centres that already offer their own standalone pre-K programs.
"So how can we take what is there, improve upon it, [and] encourage others to participate?" said King.
Premier Dennis King says a new public pre-kindergarten program will be optional and free for Island families. (Randy McAndrew/CBC)
According to the PC platform, the new pre-kindergarten program would be offered out of existing early years centres, not out of schools.
No charge to families
King said the new program will be offered at no charge to Island families — meaning families who would otherwise pay for a full day of care for their four-year-old would have half paid by the province."
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