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Finding enough workers still challenge as Nova Scotia rolls out pre-primary

HALIFAX — Private and non-profit child care operators in Nova Scotia say it remains to be seen how they will ultimately be affected by the ongoing rollout of universal pre-primary for four-year-olds across the province.
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HALIFAX — Private and non-profit child care operators in Nova Scotia say it remains to be seen how they will ultimately be affected by the ongoing rollout of universal pre-primary for four-year-olds across the province.

Lisa Davies, of the Non-Profit Directors Association, says the biggest challenge across the sector remains recruiting and retaining enough trained early childhood educators.

Davies says it’s been an ongoing problem in Nova Scotia that is now more acute with the introduction of pre-primary.

Pam Streeter, of the Private Licensed Administrators Association, says pre-primary has been introduced in under serviced and rural areas and the real test for private operators will come when the program is rolled out fully in larger urban areas.

Education Department officials say 110 early childhood educators were hired to work in 54 classes in 45 schools when the program was launched last September.

The department says an additional 700 will be needed by the time pre-primary is fully implemented in 2020.