New legislation was passed in the Ontario legislature late Tuesday morning, officially giving the province the go-ahead to implement full-day kindergarten this fall.
Thirty-three schools in Ottawa will carry the full-day kindergarten program for four- and five-year-olds, starting in September. Several other schools across the region will also offer the program.
"We are committed to developing solutions with our boards, municipalities and community organizations so that our children will continue to have more opportunities to succeed," said Education Minister Leona Dombrowsky.
The government says full-day learning will give all Ontario children equal learning opportunities, as well as give kids a better chance to finish high school, get a post-secondary education, and land a good job. The program is also hoped to relieve pressure on busy parents.
Premier Dalton McGuinty predicts full-day kindergarten will be offered in every Ontario school by September 2015 at an annual cost of $1.5 billion. Currently, about 580 schools have been selected to offer full-day learning this September; more schools will be added each year.
