Azerbaijan improves pre-school education

By Azernews

By Sara Israfilbayova

Parents are often totally bewildered by the child's pre-school education, asking questions what age is ideal to start education?

Psychologists say that during the first six years of life the child learns easily, remembers many words, and can absorb a tremendous amount of knowledge.

It is very important to expose children to education before school, as their brains are stimulated and give an impact on their academic performance later.

In Azerbaijan out of a total number of preschool children only 20 percent attend kindergartens and preparatory courses, while in Europe the percentage stands at 90 percent. Only after many years parents begin to recognize the value of the experience that was acquired by the child in the first years of life, and at the same time begin to realize that they did not give him/her.

Minister of Education Mikayil Jabbarov signed an order on creation of preparatory groups in general education schools in 2017-2018 academic year. If earlier it was not obligatory, since the mentioned academic year it will be compulsory.

For that reason, the educational departments were instructed together to specify the number of 5-year-olds born in 2012 who will be involved in the preparatory groups in the 2017-2018 academic year, to take measures to clarify the schools and teachers who will be involved in the organization of the preparatory groups. Besides, new curriculum will be created to reveal children’s creative abilities.

The Milli Mejlis [parliament] adopted a draft law "On preschool education" on April 14 at the final - third reading. The draft law consists of 5 chapters and 24 articles.

According to the law, state, municipalities, legal entities and citizens of Azerbaijan can be founders of preschool educational institutions. Preschool education institutions shall have perpetual licenses. Only highly educated persons with at least 5 years experience in this area can be appointed to these institutions.

Jabbarov previously noted that the Ministry of Education organized paid courses of preschool education in Baku and explained the reason why the courses were paid. The fact is that the state budget did not provide for the allocation of funds for their organization, and kindergartens, where the pre-school education exists, receive funding from local executive bodies.

The formal education age for Azerbaijani children is six years old. Children who turn 6 years old until September 15 are allowed to be enrolled in the first grade of general education schools.

Experts think that children under 6 years old only require love, affection and parental attention and that it is stressful for those children to cope with the most difficult tasks as sitting for long periods at a desk and keeping from running, screaming and playing games. However, after attending pre-school education centers, the school will not be so stressful for the child, because he/she is already prepared for discipline and regime, knows how to properly build relationships with peers and teachers.

Besides, Jabbarov underlined that to improve the admission system and for the convenience of parents the Central Department of Education intends to conduct electronic registration of children who will begin general education schools.