The future of the Passe-Partout program, offered to 4-year-old children to promote their integration into the school environment, is in danger in certain regions because of its funding method.
“Funding does not allow any form of development! It aims to reduce the service offer, ”said Sophie Massé, vice-president of the Federation of Education Professionals.
According to the Phares school service center in Bas-Saint-Laurent, more and more parents are choosing 4-year-old kindergarten rather than the Passe-Partout program. A choice that has a direct impact on the program since its funding depends on registrations.
“There cannot be more registrations in 2021 than there were in 2020, so the places that were unused last year are lost forever,” explained Kévin Roy, president of the Federation of Committees of parents from Quebec.
Thus, according to these Federations, the program is doomed to disappear with such a mode of financing.
At the Phares school service center, where the number of schools offering the program is set to decrease, it is explained that we continue to put the program forward and promote it since it really meets the different needs of kindergarten four years old.
However, we note that parents’ interest in the integration program is less present.
At the Monts-et-Marées school service center, registrations were insufficient to open groups last year.
According to the Federations, this is one more reason for the Ministry of Education to change the way the program is funded.
The Passe-Partout program has been in existence for over 40 years. Funded by the Ministry of Education, it aims to support the child in his integration into the school environment, but also helps the family to develop the necessary tools to support the child in this transition.
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