The Premium Debate: Subscribers ponder over early childhood education

Premium subscribers debate the merits of early childhood education. Photo / Getty Images

Columnist Merepeka Raukawa-Tait asks about children who have not yet returned to early childhood education centres.

Read the full story: Merepeka Raukawa-Tait: Children slow to return to early childhood education centres

Have your say by going to bayofplentytimes.co.nz or dailypost.co.nz and becoming a Premium subscriber.

Hopefully many Kiwi kids have gone to Australia with their parents. That's the only way they will have a future, because there is no future for our younger generation in NZ.
- Bruce C

As well-meaning as the article is intended, is there no end to the cliche call that a government must solve every issue in society? We've had 40 years of it and all we are achieving is a growing population of people who are unable to cope with the adversity of life.
- Gavin L

I don't believe pre-school should be a place where children are taught, other than to help them start to identify letters, numbers, colours & shapes. A UK documentary several years ago compared early childhood learning in Belgium (a wealthy country), Hungary (relatively poor) - in both instances where children started primary school at no earlier than 6 years - and the UK, where children started school at five, sometimes four. In Belgium & Hungary, the first two years' focus was on teaching children to concentrate on tasks and to be happy at school. When formal lessons began around eight, the children - regardless of socio-economic status - successfully and without stress learned how to read within 10-16 weeks. The UK experience was very different. Reading lessons began for children at four or five. By the age of eight, many of those children could neither read nor write, and their school experience was one of permeating failure. Maybe playing games at preschool isn't such a bad thing.
- Karen R

It is not so much about 'teaching' but about children learning to regulate their own behaviour within a group. Moving between one group and another is healthy as they have to learn how to adapt to different individuals and to communicate those needs with peers. The basics of formal education come later - hopefully with well-socialised children.
- Peter K

I am of the opinion that preschool "teaching " does little good.
A large number of children attend preschool, much greater than in the 20th century.
Anecdotal evidence shows five-year-olds ( not six, as the above author has it) arrive at school barely vocal, not able to tie their shoelaces, not able to name colours, speak in sentences or hold a pencil. I've observed the preschool down the road and it appears to me that the children just run from one activity to another without any supervision. It's esentially babysitting for three hours. Play is essential but it works best if it has structure and outcomes, ie fun, creative, life-enhancing and developing social skills.
- Kathleen M

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