Education Minister tells parents: ‘childcare centres no parking space for children’

Evarist Bartolo underlines importance of such centres to early learning development.

Childcare centres are not a place where you park your children, Education Minister Evarist Bartolo said this morning.

He insisted the Government is aware of the importance of such centres to early learning development, which may also increase female participation in the workforce. 

During a visit to the Sardinella child care centre in San Gwann, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said the government was allocating almost €4 million to provide free childcare for families that have both parents working, or in the case of single persons that are employed.

Nonetheless, Muscat highlighted how this initiative is not compulsory and parents may choose where to send their children.

“Apart from the educational aspect, the concept of free childcare will boost competitivity, lead to creation of jobs and contribute to economic growth,” Joseph Muscat said.

The Prime Minister also said the government is committed to introduce training and courses that would provide qualified carers, saying previous experience of parenting your child does not automatically make you a professional carer.