Schools across the country may consider five and a half years as an entry age for pre-primary admission depending on space availability.
But, the education ministry advises schools to strictly comply with six years as an entry age. These come as strategic and professional interventions as a child’s formative years are a vital component of up-bringing.
As per the Education Policy Guidelines and Instructions 2012, “every child who has attained the age of six (International calculation) at the start of the academic session shall be entitled for admission into Pre-primary class.”
The Deputy Program officer of the Ministry said the ministry’s decision to maintain the Pre-Primary entry age at six is backed up by research findings.
“If a child is admitted at early age, the child will find difficulty at adapting to the need of the curriculum at the later stage,” said education ministry’s Deputy Program Officer, Yeshey Lhendup.
He said if they are admitted at the age of six, the researchers have found out that a child performs well in the later stage.
The decision to reconsider the entry age for admission to five and a half years comes from the concerns raised by schools and parents.
“In the 10th Five Year Plan when Ministry focused more on to the education on doorstep, we opened so many schools and generally it was felt that the classrooms were empty,” said Yeshey Lhendup.
He said the population demography of the country has been stabilized and the number of children attending the admission age is stabilized.
“There are schools where they can accommodate enough students. That’s why there was a reconsideration of the age to 5 and a half.”
The admission age will however be kept as six years if the schools do not have enough space to accommodate.
