Kindergarten 4 years | Quebec is reneging on its key commitment on time

During his interview with TVA Network, Mr. The CAQ minister justified the postponement using the same arguments that prompted his predecessor to slow down the pace in the past: lack of manpower among teaching staff and lack of places in schools to open these classes.

“We are at 1600 [classes de maternelles 4 ans au Québec]. Objective 2600. About 1000 missing. Instead of saying we are going to make 1000 [classes] By 2025, we realize it would be irresponsible to say so. So, we’re going to spread it over time,” he reasoned.

A key promise of CAQ is to create 4-year kindergartens. In 2018, during the election campaign that led to Francois Legault becoming premier for the first time, he put his seat on the line by promising to fulfill his promise to provide 4-year-old kindergarten for all children in Quebec.

However, this promise is developed throughout the first commandment. From 5,000 open classes in 2023-2024 to 2,600 classes by 2025-2026. With the latest update made on Tuesday, the CAQ has re-evaluated this target and now promises to achieve it after four years.

“Do you hear that truck beeping? »

This new setback by the Legault government in meeting its goal of creating 4-year-old kindergarten classes has spurred opposition.

Quebec Liberal Party education critic Marva Risky said it was “written in the sky” that Quebec would “abandon its commitment.”

In the last edict, he lamented, “When told there was a shortage of teachers and campuses, they laughed out loud.”

PQ MP Pascal Bérubé said he did not understand “François Legault’s obsession with 4-year-old kindergartens”.

“I remember the general astonishment of the political class when he promised the debate [des chefs de 2018] He’s ready to put his seat in line for 4-year-old kindergarten. What’s wrong with his seat? “, he asked sarcastically.

Rupa Gajal of Québec solidaire, for her part, asked if Quebecers heard what sounded like “the beep of a truck backing up.”

“After denying the director of the school service center that closed 4-year kindergarten classes due to lack of staff, now the education minister is taking the same decision. It took more than four years for CAQ to realize that 4-year-old kindergarten was not really a priority for our network. “If Bernard Trinville really wants to stop bullying Quebecers, he should drop out of 4-year-old kindergarten,” he said.