Could you tell me the meaning of ‘Compulsory school’ in the following paragraph?

[learning54]

Hi teachers,
Could you tell me the meaning of ‘Compulsory school’ in the following paragraph?

Compulsory school start ages vary enormously worldwide. In Northern Ireland, children are obliged, according to the law, to start school at four. In England, Scotland and Wales, however, the age is five, as it is in the Netherlands and Australia. In Austria, Belgium,Czech Republic, France and Spain, it is six and in Sweden, it is seven. Why the difference? And is there an optimum time to begin school – is there a point at which a child’s brain is ready to begin soaking up the three Rs, and are we effectively wasting our time – and theirs – by applying premature pressure on children?

Thanks in advance.

 

[emsr2d2]

It refers to the fact that in some countries of the world, attending school is compulsory, so the two words have been put together to make "compulsory school". It's more commonly referred to as "compulsory education". Some countries don't insist that all children go to school so they don't have compulsory education. The age at which a child must attend school is different in different countries.

 

[learning54]

It refers to the fact that in some countries of the world, attending school is compulsory, so the two words have been put together to make "compulsory school". It's more commonly referred to as "compulsory education". Some countries don't insist that all children go to school so they don't have compulsory education. The age at which a child must attend school is different in different countries.

Hi,
Thank you very much for your reply an information. I've heard about "compulsory education" which refers to a period ofeducation that is required of every person, but I've never heard about "compulsory school".

L54

 

[White Hat]

It's like compulsory schooling.

 

[learning54]

It's like compulsory schooling.

Hi Bennevis,
Thank you for your additional information.

L54

 

[emsr2d2]

I wouldn't use "compulsory school" personally, but the meaning was discernible. I would have started the article with "Compulsory school ages vary enormously worldwide" mainly because not only does the start age vary, but so does the age at which you can leave school.

 

[learning54]

I wouldn't use "compulsory school" personally, but the meaning was discernible. I would have started the article with "Compulsory school ages vary enormously worldwide" mainly because not only does the start age vary, but so does the age at which you can leave school.

Hi,
Thank you for your advice. Of course I can and I will change that sentence without any problem. To me it is also much better.
The thing is the article was originally published in the Telegraph Weekly World Edition.

Best,
L54

 

[BobK]

Hi teachers,
Could you tell me the meaning of ‘Compulsory school’ in the following paragraph?

Compulsory school start ages vary enormously worldwide. In Northern Ireland, children are obliged, according to the law, to start school at four. In England, Scotland and Wales, however, the age is five, as it is in the Netherlands and Australia. In Austria, Belgium,Czech Republic, France and Spain, it is six and in Sweden, it is seven. Why the difference?* And is there an optimum time to begin school **– is there a point at which a child’s brain is ready to begin soaking up the three Rs***, and are we effectively wasting our time – and theirs – by applying premature pressure on children? ****


Thanks in advance.

*People in different countries have different views, and even people who share one view have different political priorities.

**Experts differ, and the holders of the national purse-strings often don't care anyway.

*** See above. Note also that this is a loaded question - 'soaking up the 3Rs' might not be regarded as a worthwhile aim by all interested parties

**** Wasting our time and theirs seems to me to be a feature of any educational system I've met, and it seems to me that the wrong sort of pressure - of course at the wrong time - is applied. I also think that it's easy to underestimate a young child's ability to acquire knowledge/skills etc - the difficulty is in the observer - how do you manage the process? Should you measure it (and can you)? Are we capable of appreciating it?

b

 

[learning54]

*People in different countries have different views, and even people who share one view have different political priorities.

**Experts differ, and the holders of the national purse-strings often don't care anyway.

*** See above. Note also that this is a loaded question - 'soaking up the 3Rs' might not be regarded as a worthwhile aim by all interested parties

**** Wasting our time and theirs seems to me to be a feature of any educational system I've met, and it seems to me that the wrong sort of pressure - of course at the wrong time - is applied. I also think that it's easy to underestimate a young child's ability to acquire knowledge/skills etc - the difficulty is in the observer - how do you manage the process? Should you measure it (and can you)? Are we capable of appreciating it?

b

Hi BobK,
I totally agree with your comments.
Let me add a little bit more. In the late nineteenth century, the greatest names of overall business (such as Carnegie and Rockefeller) had decided that for our own good, had to be imposed in the United States the Prussian pedagogy, and that schools needed to educate young people in the indiscriminate consumption.
Summarizing, the ancient imperial China known as 'the policy of keeping people in ignorance' was adopted by Hindu India and Prussia, and from there it spread everywhere, and eventually came to America.

There’s a lot more about it. It's very interesting to read about the Prusian pedagogy.

PS Sorry if I haven’t expressed myself very well. I’ve translated it from a long magazine article that I have at home.

Best,
L54

 

[konungursvia]

The Finns have determined that nothing much happens in primary education before age 7. And they know everything, don't they?

Hi teachers,
Could you tell me the meaning of ‘Compulsory school’ in the following paragraph?

Compulsory school start ages vary enormously worldwide. In Northern Ireland, children are obliged, according to the law, to start school at four. In England, Scotland and Wales, however, the age is five, as it is in the Netherlands and Australia. In Austria, Belgium,Czech Republic, France and Spain, it is six and in Sweden, it is seven. Why the difference? And is there an optimum time to begin school – is there a point at which a child’s brain is ready to begin soaking up the three Rs, and are we effectively wasting our time – and theirs – by applying premature pressure on children?

Thanks in advance.

 

[learning54]

The Finns have determined that nothing much happens in primary education before age 7. And they know everything, don't they?

Hi konungursvia,
I didn' know about it. Is there an article to read about it? Though, I've read that to learn a or several languages it is much better and easier before age 7.

Thanks in advance.
L54