EXCERPTS

The P.E.I. government will offer an accelerated course in early childhood education in an attempt to fast-track training of child-care-centre staff.

Centres across the province are bracing for a loss of staff members to the public school system next year, when kindergarten is introduced in public schools.

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Child-care centres in the province require at least two staff to be certified.

The course, to begin Oct. 26 at Holland College, will condense a two-year early childhood education course into one year.

The government is spending $470,000 to offer the course for free to staff who already work in child-care centres.

"We have a commitment to early childhood education in the province, and we want to provide well-trained, qualified staff to deliver programs," said Education Minister Gerard Greenan.

- reprinted from CBC News