On Tuesday there were a few tears across Ontario as children aged four and five started their first day of kindergarten.

What makes this first day of school different from others like it is that 600 Ontario schools – four of them in Dufferin – are now offering all-day kindergarten instead of the half-day most have provided.

“The Ministry of Education asked us to submit names of potential schools,” said Maggie McFadzen, communications officer for the Upper Grand District School Board.

“The first year of operation, we were only allowed a certain number of classes and so we sent in a long list and they came back and said, ‘You can do it at these schools in the first year,’ and they have since given us the go-ahead for more schools next year.”

This year, Grand Valley District, Laurelwoods Elementary and Princess Margaret Public School are the only Upper Grand schools in Dufferin approved to have allday kindergarten.

Bruce Campbell, General Manager, Communications & Community Relations for the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board, said 16 of the board’s schools have full-day kindergarten, including Orangeville’s St. Peter School, which he said now has three kindergarten classrooms.

“While we identified schools where it was possible to start the program, the ministry was the one who approved our choices,” said Mrs. McFadzen.

Premier Dalton McGuinty says he wants all-day kindergarten programs to be available for every child by 2015. He says it will increase students’ chances of attending post-secondary education, going to college or university, and getting a good job.

The kindergarten program will cost Ontarians an estimated $1.5 billion a year.

Along with extended classroom hours there is also an integrated before and afterschool program. This program will only be available at schools that show enough interest and enrolment. It will be offered from 7 to 9 a.m. and

3:30 to 6 p.m. with the exact time varying for each school. Like kindergarten there programs are not mandatory, parents may choose whether or not to enroll their child in before-school, afterschool or not at all.

Early childhood educators (ECEs) will be teamed up with teachers in the full day program to provide children with two educators with complimentary skills to support the needs of each child and create a positive learning environment.

According to Mrs. McFadzen, Orangeville schools did not have enough interest from parents wanting the before and after-school programs. “We are not in a position at the moment to offer the additional programming that the ministry is expecting, which is before- and after-school daycare,” she said.

She commented that one of the possible reasons behind this was the lateness of finding out the information “because the ministry didn’t provide us with details until mid- June.”

There will be a fee in order to enroll a child in the before or after-school programs. According to Mrs. McFadzen the cost of this childcare is more expensive than regular daycare providers.

The government is providing $245 million in capital funding over two years to build new classrooms and renovate existing one to support all-day kindergarten.

All-day kindergarten, like regular kindergarten, is not mandatory. If parents wish to only sent their child for half the day they are able to do so.

This new program is designed to offer children the chance to experience early learning at younger ages and help them get a better education.