Four-year olds in Grade Primary are covered by the School Insurance Program (SIP) if they get hurt on school playground equipment.
The Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development says there was uncertainty expressed by some school boards.
The Canadian Standards Association rates school playground equipment for ages five to 12.
But there are four-year olds in the system from September to December and it was not clear if they were covered.
Deputy Education Minister Sandra McKenzie says there was also confusion about the pre-primary program.
“The pre-primary students actually generally don’t use the equipment. They have a play-based curriculum so they tend to go on walks, use local parks, use woodland or that type of a thing for a play-based experience.”
McKenzie says they confirmed through the SIP that children under 5 years-old are indeed covered by the school accident insurance program.
She says the department has advised school boards that the kids should be closely monitored.
The School Insurance Program is a not-for-profit organization that manages property and casualty related insurance for the school boards of Nova Scotia and the Nova Scotia Community College.
