Let's protect the preschool from profit-making activities and private interests

The Socialists will put a discussion about the harmfulness of large corporations operating preschools on the agenda at the first meeting of the city council (borgarstjórn) in 2025.

This is much needed, as there is also a proposal on the agenda from the Independence Party to repeal regulations that nevertheless protect the preschool from some of the dangers that arise when large corporations enter the preschool sector, either directly for profit or with the aim of getting their employees back to work as soon as possible. The preschool is even called „daycare“ in the proposal.

Kristín Dýrfjörð, a preschool teacher and associate professor in early childhood education at the University of Akureyri, writes about the privatization of the preschool system in Reykjavík, „city residents have the right to demand responsibility and long-term thinking instead of privatization under the guise of short-term gain. The solution is not to hand over the education of society's youngest children to private entities. The solution is to protect and strengthen the system that has been built on the foundation of justice, equality, and democracy.“ She criticizes the policy of the Progressive Party (Framsóknarflokkurinn) in preschool matters, but the party now has both the mayor and the chairman of the School and Leisure Council (skóla- og frístundaráð) from its ranks.

The Socialists agree with that criticism. It is right to emphasize to city council members how this path ends where it has been allowed to run its course.