There are no plans to return to state-run pre-school provision in the island, Education Minister Alex Allinson says.
Teacher-led pre-school provision, funded by the government and provided at 11 primary schools, was scrapped in 2012 by the then Education Minister Peter Karran, leaving parents to find places only in the private sector.
A voucher system was introduced to help with the costs.
In 2018, Dr Allinson’s predecessor Graham Cregeen told a select committee that the changes made under Mr Karran were ’rushed and ill-thought-out’.
But, in Tynwald last week, Dr Allinson said: ’Regarding going back to the situation beforehand, where pre-school care was provided by the state sector through our existing schools, there is no current plan to revert back to that, particularly given the fact that in the intervening years we have had the development of a private sector on the island.’
He was responding to a question from Daphne Caine (Garff), the former children’s champion.
She had sought details of the Department of Education’s early years strategy.
The minister said: ’The department’s focus is to support parents of pre-school age children, three to four, by offering pre-school credits, which can then be used in registered child day care settings.
’When the pre-school credit system was introduced in 2012, it provided £350 per year at the standard rate and £1,150 at the higher rate to parents.
’The pre-school credit system is now universal and currently provides £3,420 per year to parents.’
He added: ’In terms of a wider early years strategy, the Department for Education, Sport and Culture is currently developing this and it will form part of the lifelong learning strategy due to be completed by July 2021.’
It was in response to that answer that Mrs Caine asked whether there was any intention to review the voucher system ’to see whether the best start for all young people on the island would be to bring the pre-school year back into the state-funded, school-provided education’.
However, Dr Allinson ruled it out.