'We'll have to take it for a test drive'
Communities without daycares looking forward to territory-wide junior kindergarten program
Cody Punter
Northern News Services
Published Monday, March 3, 2014
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
The GNWT's announcement that it will begin providing free junior kindergarten in 2014 is being met with excitement from the territory's smallest communities.
"It's probably 10 years late but it's welcome news to us here," said Joseph Kochon, band manager for Colville Lake.
Colville Lake is one of 10 communities in the NWT that does not have a licensed daycare. As of the beginning of next school year, it will be one of 29 communities in the Northwest Territories to offer free junior kindergarten for four-year-olds.
"It's something that I'm sure all the four-year-olds will be happy to see," said Kochon.
Kochon said the lack of early childhood facilities is currently putting a strain on parents who could otherwise be going to work
"We have a couple of large families here with some four-year-olds," said Kochon. "They can't really do anything for them except get a babysitter ... Sometimes one of the parents would be stuck at home all the time."
In preparation for implementing free junior kindergarten in every community over the next three years, the GNWT commissioned a pilot program at Mackenzie Mountain School in Norman Wells in 2013.
The principal at that school, Michael Duclos, said the program has been a success.
"I think the pilot project is a step in the right direction especially because we don't have a daycare," he said.
Although the pilot project has been popular among parents, Duclos emphasized that the focus of junior kindergarten is on educating children.
"We don't want to paint the junior kindergarten program as a daycare program because it's more pedagogical than that," he said.
Duclos added there have been some small challenges with the program.
"Integrating kids who have never been in a school system always has its difficulties," he said, adding that the experience gained from conducting the pilot project would help the school prepare for next year.
Duclus added that the real benefits of junior kindergarten will be evident in the long term.
"It's important because it enables them to have that extra year in the school," said Duclos. "Definitely down the line, it will help."
Meanwhile, Kochon said he can't wait for the junior kindergarten to start up in Colville Lake.
"We'll have to take it for a test drive," said Kochon. "If it's good then maybe we can invest more money in it."
