Resource concerns
While the Association des centres de la petite enfance francophones de l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard is pleased about additional funding, it is concerned about how the resources will be distributed.
“For a number of years now, we have been waiting for such an investment in a sector that is critical for the Island’s Acadian and francophone community,” said Jason LeBlanc, the president of the association.
Earlier this year, federal and provincial governments announced investments in early learning centres.
In a statement released by the association, they say priority needs to include adopting an appropriate educational framework for the minority community, supporting francization in the centres, attracting human resources to the sector and increasing access to francophone centres.
The adoption of an educational framework that meets the needs of a minority linguistic community is necessary to support staff in francophone centres. Francophone early childhood centres base their work on provincial framework that was develop for the anglophone system and then translated into French.
Although it is translated, there are no significant adaptations to reflect the cultural distinctiveness of the Island’s francophone community.
They also say a francization program and resources are required to help children become proficient in French and the shortage of human resources to work in the centres is a critical factor.
“Childcare fees in the early childhood centres are set by the province to limit the cost to families,” said LeBlanc. “It is essential that the service remain accessible. However, funding for centres that offer this service is calculated using a pay scale that has increased by two per cent since 2010. It is difficult to offer the pay required to attract and retain the staff we need and to increase the quality of our programs.”
Currently, there are almost 150 children on a waiting list for early childhood francophone education.
“It is unacceptable that so many children cannot access the Francophone system. The early childhood centres are hubs that welcome and provide francization services for children – our future students and leaders. The future of the Island’s Acadian and Francophone community depends on the early childhood centres,” said LeBlanc.