The following is a statement from the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO):

“The College of Early Childhood Educators (CECE) has recently informed our members who are Designated Early Childhood Educators (DECEs) working in Ontario’s Kindergarten classrooms that they will be subject to a fee increase to maintain their certification. 

This fee increase of approximately 9.4% will take effect October 1, 2024. 

DECEs are integral to the education of Ontario’s youngest learners and are among the lowest-paid educators in the province. As families across the province struggle to make ends meet, this increase is disappointing.

As representatives of approximately 3,500 DECEs, ETFO stands in defense of its members who feel the burden of this unnecessary increase. 

We call on the CECE to reverse its 2024 fee increase and to find better, more accountable and cost-effective ways to carry out its mandate.”