Prime Minister François Legault reiterated his goal on Wednesday of delivering 2,600 4-year-old kindergarten classes, even if he says he will have to postpone the date to 2029-2030, due to the lack of teachers and space in schools.
“I want all parents to have access to 4-year-old kindergarten as soon as possible,” said Mr. Legault in a press scrum. Now, as my wife often tells me: no one is obliged to do the impossible, so we will try to do it as quickly as possible. »
François Legault was answering a question about whether his seat was still in play on this issue, as he said during the 2018 election campaign.
On Tuesday, the Minister of Education, Bernard Drainville, announced during an interview with TVA Nouvelles that he was postponing from 2025-2026 to 2029-2030 the delivery of 2,600 4-year-old kindergarten classes.
The lack of teachers and space in schools is in question, underlined Mr. Legault. “I am not dogmatic, we are pragmatic,” he said, stressing the need to take into account the reality of teaching staff.
Mr. Drainville, for his part, said that he did not take this decision lightly. “I believe in it, in 4-year-old kindergartens,” he insisted on Wednesday in a press scrum.
“Today, there are almost 1,600 4-year-old kindergarten classes,” said the Minister of Education. And the latter ensures that the government will continue to create them. “This year, we are going to create a hundred according to the projections that were given to us. »
The Prime Minister for his part reiterated that his priority was education. “When a child has learning difficulties, a 4-year-old kindergarten who is in a primary school where there are speech therapists and remedial teachers, I find that it is good for these children. »
Further details will follow.