Released on May 14, 2014
Today, Regina Douglas Park MLA Russ Marchuk on behalf of Education Minister Don Morgan joined students, parents, teachers, staff and community members to celebrate the expansion of the E-Tahkanwasot (ah-tow-ah-now-ah-sot) Infant Care Centre, a teen student support centre located in Oskayak (os-KIE-ack) High School.The Government of Saskatchewan provided $611,088 to develop this project.
“Our government knows that investing in children is an investment in the province’s future,” Marchuk said. “Because of this additional funding, more students attending Oskayak High School have access to high quality child care, allowing them to pursue education opportunities. This will benefit their families and their children for years to come.”
The E-Tahkanwasot Infant Care Centre opened in September 1992 to care for nine infants of teen parents attending the high school. They received funding for 24 new spaces in the 2012-13 budget, and with this expansion they are now licensed for 33 child care spaces, including 12 infant, 15 toddler and six preschool spaces.
“The addition of toddler/preschool spaces has fulfilled a long time vision,” E-Tahkanwasot Infant Care Centre Director Sylvia Raginsk said. “Our student parents are now able to continue their education without the added stress of having to search out and transport their children to other centres before coming to class.”
Since November 2007, the Government of Saskatchewan has made a record investment in licensed child care, allocating funding for 4,935 new child care spaces to communities across the province. This year’s allocation raises the number of funded licensed child care spaces in Saskatchewan to more than 14,200, an increase of 53 per cent in the last seven years.
Visit www.saskatchewan.ca for a list of licensed child care services in your region.
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For more information, contact:
Kelly Johnston
Education
Regina
Phone: 306-787-1069
Email: kelly.johnston@gov.sk.ca