BC's Minister of State for Child Care Katrina Chen announced $2 million in new funding of pedagogist mentors for early childhood educators. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

FOR THE CHILDREN

Early childhood educators in Nanaimo to receive special mentorship through new funding

Feb 3, 2020 | 2:54 AM

NANAIMO — New funding from the provincial government is hoped to enhance the quality of early childhood care in Nanaimo and across B.C.

The province is providing $2 million which will enable 32 additional teaching specialists, or pedagogists, to be hired across B.C.

A specialist will be based at VIU in Nanaimo, as well as other post-secondary campuses, child care referral centres and Indigenous communities in B.C.

Katrina Chen, Minister of State for Child Care, said at the Monday, Feb 3 announcement having additional training and supports will help attract new students to the industry.

“We have a lot of great early childhood educators that have been doing this for years and years, but the problem we’re facing right now is retention and recruitment,” Chen said.

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The government recently added $1 per hour to the wage of early childhood educators in the province and committed to an additional dollar per hour raise in April 2020.

“We want to make sure children are not just in a child care centre for the sake of being looked after, but also make sure they’re getting the best quality early learning experience,” Chen said

Sabrina Limas, a first year early childhood education student at VIU, said pedagogists provide a wealth of experience.

“They give us the support as students teaching us methodologies, strategies and how to work with children and develop new methods to teach,” Limas said.

Each pedagogist will have up to 45 early childhood educators on their roster.

The funding is part of a $136 million program designed to make childcare more affordable and accessible in BC.

alex.rawnsley@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alexrawnsley