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w at er lo oc hr on ic le .c a W at er lo o C hr on ic le | T hu rs da y, F eb ru ar y 7, 20 19 | 8 ABOUT US This newspaper, published every Thursday, is a division of the Metroland Media Group Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Torstar Corporation. The Metroland family of newspapers is comprised of more than 80 community publications across Ontario. This newspaper is a member of the National NewsMedia Council. Complainants are urged to bring their concerns to the attention of the news- paper and, if not satisfied, write The National NewsMedia Council, Suite 200, 890 Yonge St., Toronto, ON M4W 2H2. Phone: 416-340-1981 Web: www.mediacouncil.ca editorial@waterloochronicle.ca facebook.com/waterloochronicle @wlchronicle WHO WE ARE VP, Regional Publisher Kelly Montague Regional General Manager Nelson Parreira nparreira@metroland.com Regional Director of Media Heather Dunbar hdunbar@starmetrolandmedia.com Sales Lead/Advertising Representative Michelle Stevens ext. 795062 Advertising Representatives Cassandra Dellow ext. 795066 Jan Bodanka ext. 795072 Delia Medina ext. 795065 Regional Editor Mike Wilson Reporters Adam Jackson Bill Jackson Namish Modi CONTACT US Waterloo Chronicle 475 Thompson Dr. Cambridge, ON N1T 2K8 Phone: 519-886-2830 Fax: 519-623-9155 Web: www.waterloochronicle.ca Letters to the editor All letters must be fewer than 200 words and include your name and telephone number for verification purposes. We reserve the right to edit, condense or reject letters. Delivery For all delivery inquiries, e-mail customerservice@metroland.com or call 519-894-3000 OPINION TO LEARN HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN CONTENT VISIT WATERLOOCHRONICLE.CA In 2017, the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education released a study that gave Ontario's full-day kindergarten program what amounted to a grade of A-plus. And for good reason. The study found the program, launched almost a decade ago by the then-Liberal government, was well worth the $1.5 billion-a-year investment for academic, social and economic reasons. That's why it's so alarming that the Ford government has put a question mark over the future of full-day kindergarten for 4- and 5-year-olds. But that's the message this week from Premier Doug Ford and Education Minister Lisa Thompson, both of whom confirmed that the government will not commit to keeping the program beyond the next school year. It's understandable that the government is looking for savings to rein in the province's deficit. But if it's turning its gaze on full-day kindergarten, it's looking in the wrong place. All the available evidence suggests the benefits of full- day kindergarten for kids, parents, employers and even the economy far outweigh any cost savings the government will be able to find by cutting this program. The OISE study, for example, found that children in the two-year, full-day learning program scored higher on read- ing, writing and number knowledge than those in a half-day program. It also found those kids scored higher on self-control and the ability to deal with the stresses of life, which is predictor of long-term health, wealth and even a reduction in crime. Another study in 2017 from the independent Centre for Spatial Economics concluded that every dollar invested in the program will generate $2.42 for the province in reduced social costs and improved health outcomes. In other words, full-day kindergarten more than pays for itself. Further, disrupting the program would have downsides for parents of young children - and their employers - who have come to depend on the seamless before- and after-class care that kids in now get in their school or at nearby day- care centres. Nor is it likely that daycare providers could immediately create the spaces that would be needed if 4-year-olds, for example, were suddenly dumped back into the private day- care market. Then there's this: some parents who are banking on their 4- and 5-year-olds going to publicly funded kindergarten classes may have to reassess whether they can afford to continue working if they have to pay the country's highest child care fees. Thompson said no decision will be made on the future of full-day kindergarten until the government has completed a consultation. But her words were far from reassuring. That's because they come from a government that has repeatedly demonstrated that education isn't high on its priority list for funding. It has made post-secondary school- ing less affordable and less accessible by axing free tuition, made it more difficult for students to qualify for grants, and cancelled long-planned campuses in Milton, Brampton and Markham. Sadly, it now seems to be turning its sights on full-day kindergarten. But if the government truly looks at the evi- dence, it shouldn't mess with success. FORD SHOULDN'T MESS WITH SUCCESS OF FULL-DAY KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM Life can change in an instant. We saw that in full dis- play two weeks ago when a car crashed into the di- vider that splits Highway 401 and Highway 8 west- bound. The driver, 65- year-old Graham Poll, died instantly in the crash. I will start this column off by saying that I'm not passing judgment on that particular driver - it is still not public exactly what happened or who is at fault for that collision - but it's a good reminder for all of us to slow down and realize the impacts of the decisions we make on the roads. Especially now. As this column is being writ- ten, the ground is frozen solid and because it's far too cold for salt to be ef- fective, many of our roads around this region are still covered in ice and snow. We all want to get home and get there quickly. But it's that little bit of expedience that we desire that often puts us at risk. The best case scenario is a fender bender. The worst case scenario - well, we saw it on the highway. As a society, we have this insatiable desire for immediate gratification. We want results right now. We don't want it to take 15 minutes to drive somewhere. We want it to take five instead. But we often forget that there are other people on the road, too. Speeding, dodging in and out of traffic and cut- ting other motorists - and pedestrians - off may save about five minutes. Are those five minutes more important than someone else's life, or even your own? I highly doubt it. After all, what are you going to do with those extra five minutes? Some argue that road design is what leads driv- ers to be aggressive and speedy - and that may be the case - but we all con- trol how we act on the roads. You never know - the next dangerous manoeu- vre you make could change your life forever. Adam Jackson is a reporter and photogra- pher at the Kitchener Post and Waterloo Chronicle. He writes about a wide range of topics, but has a passion for community stories. LET'S MAKE FEBRUARY THE MONTH OF PATIENCE ON THE ROADS SPEEDY AND AGGRESSIVE DRIVING KILLS, WRITES ADAM JACKSON ADAM JACKSON Column EDITORIAL