Bursary to Help Recruit Diverse Early Childhood Educators

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Nova Scotians from Indigenous, African Nova Scotian, Acadian-Francophone and immigrant communities will now have access to a bursary if they are interested in becoming early childhood educators.

The province announced the bursary for tuition, fees and course materials today, June 28, to support recruitment and more diversity in child care centres across the province.

“Diversity in early childhood education programs enriches the experience of children,” said Zach Churchill, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development. “It’s also important that children and families see themselves in the early childhood education programs they access. We’re committed to increasing diversity in this workforce.”

The bursary is available for the 2018-19 and 2019-20 school years. Successful applicants may receive up to $5,500 for up to two years.

Eligible applicants must also be:
— enrolled as a full-time student in an approved full-time early childhood education diploma program
— pre-register for the bursary program by Aug. 1
— apply for the bursary for each year of study, up to a maximum of two years.

The province is also focused on strengthening the early childhood education workforce by:
— launching an early childhood education recruitment campaign in early July. The seven-week campaign will attract new early childhood educators to the province and encourage early childhood educators who are not working in the field to come back
— exploring opportunities to increase access to training for Nova Scotians who want to pursue a career in early childhood education.
— reviewing the daycare regulations to identify opportunities to better support regulated childcare centres.

More information on these initiatives will be available in the coming weeks.

For more information about the bursary, to pre-register and apply, visit https://www.ednet.ns.ca/earlyyears/pd/CulturalBursary.shtml.

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Source: Release