TRU opens new Early Childhood Education Centre

KAMLOOPS — It’s been years in the making, but Thompson Rivers University has officially opened its Early Childhood Education Centre.

The centre is the new home of TRU’s Early Childhood Education program, early childhood education researchers, and the Cariboo Child Care Society.

The 21,000 square foot facility on McGill Road now houses 72 children and has spaces for early childhood education students. The bigger space is especially in need since the program has recently seen a 40 per cent jump in enrolment.

“We have such wonderful equipment, good technological advances here as well. We’re able to help students learn through simulation, through role-playing, as well as of course in active work through their practicum,” said TRU Dean of Education Yasmin Dean. “All those things will give them the competencies they need to be effective early childhood educators.”

The Minister of State for Child Care Katrina Chen was on hand to officially open the space with the province contributing $1.48 million. Chen says the new space should help in training more early childhood educators, who are in high demand.

She also noted the province is trying to attract more to the profession with incentives.

“The province is also working hard to make sure we have the wage-enhancement program, the $4 an hour top-up, we’re building a wage grid to make sure there’s more stability and predictability of early childhood educator wages,” noted Chen. “We continue to support the bursary program for more students to utilize bursaries to pay for their tuition fees.”

Chen was also asked about more $10-a-day childcare spaces. There are only two in Kamloops — one at the Kamloops Child Development Centre and the second at the Kamloops Christian School’s Early Learning Centre.

While she didn’t fully promise anything for the city, she says the province plans to double the number of $10-a-day spaces by the end of the year.

“We currently have about 6,500. We’re going to more than double to 12,500, so that is the number,” she said. “We are expecting because we have three different initiatives — the fee-reduction program, the affordable childcare benefit and the $10 a day — we’re expecting all the initiatives combined there will be over 20,000 families benefitting from $10 a day.”

Editors Note: The story was changed to reflect the government’s contribution of $1.48 million, not $1.8 million.