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
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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.