Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty has announced 16 more schools in Ottawa that will offer full-day kindergarten beginning in September 2011.
That's in addition to 33 schools already selected to offer the full-day program this fall.
"We've known for a long time now that a strong start at school makes for a strong finish. Kids get a good start in the early years. They'll perform better academically; they're more likely to graduate; they're more likely to go on to college, university or a trade. They're more likely to get a good job, enjoy a good standard of living and be able to offer their families a good quality of life," McGuinty told reporters on Tuesday.
Full-day kindergarten is in high-demand in the capital. The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board says it expects to be about $500,000 short in terms of their funding for the program, simply because of increased enrollment. However, McGuinty said the province won't cover that funding shortfall.
While many parents support full-day learning, others are against it. They argue sending four and five year olds to school for the entire day is too long for a young child.
Each class will hold approximately 26 students and will be staffed by a teacher, as well as an early childhood educator.
The province predicts the program will be offered in every Ontario school by September 2015 at an annual cost of $1.5 billion.
