What Are the Problems of Pre-Primary Education?

Pre-primary education has become a worldwide effort because of the benefits preschool children obtain from attending pre-primary programs. The benefits last until adulthood. Despite this, there are problems with pre-primary education. Most of the problems aren't severe and are far outweighed by the benefits. But the problems need to be studied further to be resolved.

  1. Skill Loss

    • While most studies show that pre-primary education provides long-lasting academic benefits, there are problems with the maintenance of skills. Data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study by Magnuson, Ruhm and Waldfogel (2006) as cited by Berlinski, Galiani and Gertler found that "pre-primary education is associated with higher reading and mathematics skills at primary school entry, but that these correlations disappeared by the end of first grade."

    Behavior Problems

    • Behavior problems are magnified if pre-primary students are not located in a public school. Magnuson, Ruhm and Waldfogel (2006) also found that "when preschools are not located in public schools, pre-primary education is associated with higher levels of behavioral problems."

    Unreasonable Expectations

    • Increasingly, preschool teachers are expecting 4-year-old children to do independent seat work. Children that age can't sit still that long; when they don't, they are reprimanded. According to a 2005 article by Jennifer Steinhauer in the "New York Times," a Yale study reported that preschool children are three times more likely to be expelled than primary school children.

    Parent Awareness

    • Some parents of immigrants don't know about existing pre-primary education opportunities for their children. Many immigrant parents don't speak English or know what early education is. They also don't know if they are eligible for pre-primary education programs and aren't aware that there are benefits to early education.

    • Gross motor skills enable humans to perform complex acts that require development of both muscles and the central nervous system. Gross motor skills require less precision than fine motor skills and are responsible for large movements such as walking
    • Confidence in young girls is a fragile thing, and according to Anita Gurian of the New York University Child Study Center, self-esteem plummets right around the time a girl enters junior high. Suddenly, body image becomes all-important and intelligen
    • Your little one is growing up before your eyes and as he grows, you might think more about his future. Regardless of his career choice, you probably hope he’ll be a leader throughout his school years and into his adult life. In the article, &qu