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Free Daycare, Free Afterschool Programmes set to Start in September
Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, August 14, 2023 – Lower income families and unemployed parents are poised now to get government support, as the Ministry of Education has rolled out two of three promised programs to support households on the lower end of the earnings scale.
In less than a month, the Early Start Daycare Assistance Programme and Social Enrichment Academic Afterschool Programme will come into effect and applications are now open. The programs were touted as the PNP Administration’s answer to growing concerns about the cost of living and how that impacts child care, development and safety.
The school feeding program, also named in that January 2023 announcement, is not included in the government’s
Daycare, however, has been launched, the government now says this will be a subsidised program for islanders only. People who qualify are Belongers with children under three years old, who have an annual income below $25,000 or an income below the minimum wage. In addition unemployed parents who can show evidence of being registered with the Labour Department will also qualify.
Foster care cases and wards of the state and the children of teachers will also benefit.
“Through a network of accredited daycare providers, this program will relieve the financial burden on parents, enabling them to work and pursue personal growth while ensuring their children receive the best care and education,” the press release said.
When Magnetic Media checked, applications for the program were open, and displayed on the home page of the Ministry of Education’s website. It was the only program of the three with visible applications.
The Afterschool Programme will be completely free for residents.
“This initiative aims to provide students with a safe and productive environment after regular school hours. With supervised activities, homework assistance, and enrichment programmes, students can continue their learning journey and engage in constructive activities, fostering holistic development,” the government said. Teachers opting into the program will be compensated.
Nothing was shared regarding the feeding program but money was budgeted for all three programs in January to the tune of $4 million.