The debate on what the proper age is for a child to start their formal education has been a long-lasting one, domestically but even more importantly, internationally. Initially, we can identify two general schools of thought on this topic. One can be identified by their belief that formal education should start at a young age, specifically before the age of four, while on the contrary the other school believes that the proper age would be a bit later in a child’s life, around the age of eight to be exact.
The arguments on why a child should start education from a young age vary from person to person, however, the general consensus is that a younger a person is the easier they can learn and take in information, this combined with a teach style catered to kids, using interactive teaching methods can create many stimuli for the child, enabling it to developer critical-thinking and decision making abilities early on in their lives.
Although the arguments of the first group are strong, there are some points to be made from an opposing view. Even though undoubtedly starting education from a young age enhances abilities like critical thinking, it can sometimes struggle with teaching a child how to be creative, how to socialize and most importantly how to feel empathy. All those skills are usually learned through play time with family and a bit later on with friends. They are something that maths cannot teach.
In my opinion the best age to start formal education aligns with what is believed by the first group. However, there has to be a necessary balance between books and play time so that a one decided development can be avoided.
To conclude, we can not easily discern which way of thinking is the most valid since both can be backed by research. The correct way to go about this would be for the parents to identify their child’s weaknesses and strengths and opt-in for the most suitable solution. To support the parents’ choice, it’s important for any country to allow for flexibility regarding early life education.