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The provincial and federal governments invested more than $2 million in children’s literacy programs in Saskatchewan on Monday.
At a media conference at the Regina Public Library, Saskatchewan Education Minister Gordon Wyant and federal Liberal MP Ralph Goodale announced the funding for programs aimed at children aged six and under around the province.
The funding comes via the Canada-Saskatchewan Early Learning and Child Care Agreement.
Some of the money is to go to the purchase of children’s books in languages other than English, all of which will be available at public libraries around the province.
“The earlier we get these literacy resources in the hands of our children, the better,” Wyant said in the media release. “We are committed to providing families the supports needed for the development of these foundational skills.”
“The Government of Canada is committed to helping middle-class families access quality early learning and child care,” added Goodale, the federal Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. “Today’s announcement will help more children get a better start in life right across Saskatchewan.”
According to the media release: $560,000 is for the purchase of children’s books by licensed child-care facilities; $500,000 is for early learning programs to buy books and other resources and to supplement training and community events hosted by the Saskatchewan Literacy Network and KidsFirst; $400,000 is for the Saskatchewan Literacy Network to provide free training sessions to parents, caregivers and educators on how to incorporate early literacy into both programming and home life; and, $400,000 is for KidsFirst to fund literacy programs for preschool-aged children around Saskatchewan.
As well, $120,000 was invested to buy multilingual children’s books for public libraries, and $75,000 is for the production of instructional videos on how educators and parents can incorporate early literacy in their programming and at home.
Details on the KidsFirst literacy events can be found here. Information on training through the Saskatchewan Literacy Network is available here or by calling 1-888-511-2111.