Reports on Wednesday that the Ontario Liberals would cut before-and after-care in the new all-day kindergarten program had advocates for the idea of a "seamless day of early learning" up in arms. Premier Dalton McGuinty claimed yesterday there would be no disruption for parents and everything is going according to plan, but really, the biggest disruption of all was the completely thoughtless rollout of this extravagant, expensive, untested and unnecessary program to begin with.

Ideally, the entire program would be canned. Failing that, any decision to cut parts of it should be applauded as brave and necessary.

via www.ottawacitizen.com

TORONTO, Dec. 15 /CNW/ – YMCAs from across Ontario welcome the
government's decision to permit partnerships between school boards and
child care organizations in the delivery of before and after school
care as part of the new full-day kindergarten program.

"We have been strong supporters of the government's ground breaking full
day learning program. Allowing school boards to partner with
organizations such as the YMCA will ensure many more children receive
an integrated, curriculum-based, before and after school program that
better meets the local needs of Ontario families," said Rob Armstrong,
Senior Vice-President YMCA Ontario. "Hundreds of our programs currently
operate in schools.  The model is already working; it's cost effective
and can be scaled up quickly". 

The YMCA is Ontario's largest not-for-profit early learning and child
care provider for children from infancy to age 12, with more than
38,000 children involved in licensed programs.  We have been offering
high-quality, curriculum-based early learning and care for over 40
years in local communities of all shapes and sizes. 

"This is great news for children and families across Ontario," says
Armstrong.  "The YMCAs applaud the government's decision to allow us to
continue working in partnership with schools, helping to ensure the
success of the government's goal of providing a seamless and integrated
full day learning program."

The YMCAs in Ontario currently work with 50 school boards across the
province to offer a range of early learning and care programs including
over 300 licensed pre-school child care programs and 500 licensed
school-age before and after-school programs.

via www.newswire.ca