The best age for children to start school

Gulf News

The best age for children to start school. When is the right age for children to start going to school? Experts share their views. See more at: http://gulfnews.com/gntv

Transcript

00:00What's in a child's age?

00:10Everything if you ask parents preparing to enroll children in school.

00:14At what age should I send my child to school?

00:16Will the child fail to grasp the basics if pushed into starting too early?

00:21Could a late start mean the child is left out?

00:24There are questions galore.

00:25Look around and the parameters and rationale applied globally vary.

00:29As does the education system.

00:31For instance, in Northern Ireland, the statutory age of entry to school is 4.

00:36In England, Scotland, Wales, Cyprus and Malta, the age is 5.

00:41The statutory age is 6 in Austria, Belgium, Switzerland and Turkey.

00:45And it's 7 in Bulgaria, Estonia and Sweden.

00:49In India, by the age of 6, a child should be in Grade 1.

00:53In the UAE, 4 to 5-year-olds attend kindergarten, while 6 to 11-year-olds attend primary schools.

01:00While some parents stick with tradition, others explore more modern ways.

01:05Homeschooling is an option for the initiated.

01:08But in the end, no parent will risk their child's future.

01:12Dr. Srikumar V. Nair, specialist psychiatrist based in Dubai, says there is no right age

01:17to start formal education.

01:19But it is better to start formal education at least after 5.

01:23Carrie Kirk, counselling psychologist based in Dubai, is more precise.

01:27I agree with the school of thought that recommends children should start formal education at

01:32the age of 6, she says.

01:34But in the end, to each their own.

01:37Every child is special and each child has different learning capabilities.

01:42As parents, it's important to evaluate the individual child before making the big decision.

01:48If you push a child into school, you may be forced to push him or her all your life.

01:54If you allow them to find their own path, they might just walk the long road to wisdom

02:00independently.

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