A Vision for Early Childhood Education and Care for Children in Jersey revealed that the removal of inequalities in the current system would need a significant cash injection.
At present half of Jersey’s pre-school children get free education while the other half get private care that costs more than it would in central London.
To resolve this, Education, Sport and Culture suggest that all Jersey’s three- and four-year-olds be given 30 hours’ free education per week at an additional cost of £2 million per annum.
If the suggestion is put to the States as a proposal, the free education could be in place by 2007.
Education’s early years adviser, Yasmine Thébault, said she was delighted by the conclusions of the report.
She said: ‘This is quite a historic moment and is really significant for us.
I think parents will feel they have been listened to.’ The closing date for consultation on the report is 30 September.
Responses can be sent to ecec@gov.je or to the department offices at Highlands.
