The Tribune

A CONTRACT for the universal pre-primary education, public private pre-school partnership programme was signed yesterday at the Ministry of Education.

The initiative strives to ensure that Bahamian children aged three to four have a strong early educational development.

Within this programme, a voucher system was launched by the Ministry of Education.

The programme aids in accommodating students who were unable to be enrolled in a government school, because there was either a lack of space or because of the child’s age.

Acting Education Director Dominique McCartney-Russell said yesterday there are 118 private pre-school operators in The Bahamas that are engaged in the programme.

Mrs McCartney-Russell added there are 6,200 vouchers that have been distributed to date. The vouchers are $2,000 a year to cover the student’s tuition fee.

“This year, ten new partners will sign on to the programme. Of course, this partnership means more children will transition to grade one with a stronger foundation for learning,” she said.

Education Minister Glenys Hanna Martin said that 1,500 children were added to the programme to aid in their access to pre-primary education.

“This is a gap that we have in access to education pre-primary. And we’re trying very hard. This paradigm is an effort to close the gap as much as we can. But there’s still much ground to be recovered. But I am so happy today that we have at least another 1,500 children who will be able to access pre-primary in the most challenging times in education post-pandemic,” Mrs Hanna Martin said.

Leja Burrows, assistant director of education, explained the process of the vouchers.

Ms Burrows said: “These vouchers are given to children who are between the ages of three and four years old. They apply to the Ministry of Education seeking enrolment for their child in a government school. And where the government school is unable to accommodate them because of space or age, some government schools only accommodate four-year-olds, so a three-year-old in that area, we would then give them a voucher to attend one of our approved partners.

“Now, in order to be an approved partner, the Pre-school and Daycare Centre Council must review the application. And ensure that the centre meets the minimum standards that they have.”

She added: “And so, parents have the opportunity to select a private partnering pre-school in their area. We have 110 partners on the islands of New Providence, Grand Bahama, Andros, and Inagua.”