Ireland

Irishexaminer.com
Cork, Ireland
Charity calls for free pre-school place for every child
08/08/2006

Free pre-school education should be offered to every child in the year before they officially start school to ensure they are given a strong start in life, a leading children’s charity said today.

An investment programme for education announced in the last Budget will see 50,000 additional childcare places, including 5,000 after-school places and 10,000 pre-school places aimed at three- to four-year-olds by 2010.

Norah Gibbons of children’s charity Barnardos said: “This is a good first step to developing an early childhood education initiative but we are very concerned that of the 50,000 additional pre-school and after-school places announced by Minister (for Children Brian) Lenihan over the next five years, only 10,000 are actually targeted at the three- to four-year-old age group – the year before most children in this country start primary school.”

The Government investment programme will cost the state around €575m.

The charity estimated the provision of free early childhood education for all children for a year prior to joining primary school would cost €1.4bn to start up, and €636m a year to run.

Barnardos voiced its concern that access to early education was often based on a parent’s wealth.

“Access is largely contingent on parental ability to pay, which may result in the children of families on low and average incomes being excluded,” Ms Gibbons said.

“Parental income should not be a barrier to a child realising his or her potential – where you’re going in life shouldn’t be dependent on where you’ve come from. Unfortunately, research shows us that it (is).”

Ms Gibbons called for early childhood education programmes to be rolled out first in disadvantaged areas.

She said it should be made obligatory that pre-school staff were adequately trained.

“The most up-to-date research shows that investing in early childhood education is cost-effective for the state in the medium to long-term with regard to improved school success, economic performance and reduced associated crime levels,” she said.

“Socially, economically, developmentally and morally we cannot afford to let children down when it comes to providing equality of opportunity for all children.”

Comment:

I'm always surprised by the idea that we should have to pay for higher education, but not for preschool. Until preschool becomes a part of regular public school education, it should remain optional and cost. Spending money on children is part of having a family.

On the other hand, education should be mandated in any early childhood setting.