Early Years Centres are a part of the PEI Preschool Excellence Initiative, and are intended to support Island children from birth to school entry, their parents and their educators.
• The Preschool Excellence Initiative represents the largest ever increase in investment in early learning and child care in Prince Edward Island.
• There will be over double the originally estimated number of centres by end of 2011.
• Once all the centre transitions are complete, there will be 1,953 licensed spaces across Prince Edward Island.
• PEI has seen total infant spaces increase in Early Years Centres across the province by 125 per cent, through the Preschool Excellence Initiative
For more information on Early Learning Centers, watch the following videos:
Early Years Centres - What it Means to Educators [video link]
Carol Ford, Manager of the Parkdale Sherwood Headstart Program shares why her centre became an Early Years Centre and what this change has meant for her program.
Early Years Centres - Supporting Early Learning for PEI [video link]
Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development Doug Currie explains why the centres are pivotal in government's overall vision for education.
Early Years Centres - Adding to Parent Choices for Child Care [video link]
Carolyn Simpson, Early Childhood Development Manager, Department of Education and Early Childhood Development discusses why it's important for parents to have choices when making decisions on early learning and child care options.
For more information on Preschool Excellence Initiative, read here: http://www.gov.pe.ca/photos/original/edu_ExcellIniti.pdf