Some Waterloo Region families still waitlisted for before and after school care
CTV
Almost three weeks into the school year and some families are still on waitlists for before and after school care and it’s exposing some major gaps in the education system.
Almost three weeks into the school year and some families are still on waitlists for before and after school care and it’s exposing some major gaps in the education system.
There are two separate issues at play. Last month, OneHSN, the company behind the waitlist system reported a software malfunction lead to some parents receiving an email telling them they had secured a child care spot that didn’t actually exist.
But this is also the first year there’s been a waitlist.
The Waterloo Catholic District School Board (WCDSB) said the waitlist is due to the region’s growth.
“We've experienced unprecedented interest in the program and this was the first year we've ever had to introduce a waitlist. So it was a first for us and this is being seen across the region,” said Lema Salaymeh, WCDSB’s manager of communications, in an interview with CTV News.
It’s the same at the public board. They are seeing a rapid increase in interest in extended day care.
"This year alone enrollment in the extended day program has increased by 27 per cent we cannot accommodate that type of growth,” said Nick Landry, the superintendent of business services at the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB), during a trustee meeting earlier this week.
