The promise to offer 4-year-old kindergarten to all young Quebecers, for which François Legault had put his seat at stake during the election campaign, will wait two more years.
The Caquista government announced in a press release on Wednesday that the deployment of the classes will go beyond the five years first announced.
“In order to ensure a successful deployment, more time will therefore be given to the school network to reach the objective of 2,600 classes. The implementation schedule will be spread over two additional years and now provides for the opening of all planned classes by 2025-2026 ”, writes the Ministry of Education.
The ministry cites in particular “the availability of premises and manpower” to explain this delay.
“Obviously, the pandemic has upset everyone’s plans. So, the objective remains the same, we will still give the school network a little more time for implementation, given the pandemic, ”explains the strategic director of the Minister of Education, Jean-François Del Torchio.
Next September, 315 new classes should be added to the 1010 already established.
An evolving promise
The promise to create a 4-year-old kindergarten network accessible to all, but not compulsory, has evolved over the past three years.
During the election campaign, the number of classes needed was estimated at 5,000. This figure then rose to 3,400 during the first Caquist budget, then to 2,600 when the bill was adopted to deploy them outside disadvantaged areas.
At the same time, the valuation for their running and construction costs has exploded. The average amount to create a new class, estimated at $ 120,000 during the election campaign, is finally $ 800,000.
But the deployment of this network is a priority for Prime Minister François Legault, who sees it as an effective way to screen for learning disabilities in young children.
During a debate of the leaders during the electoral campaign, the Caquist leader did not hesitate to put his seat on the line on this electoral promise.
–
