法國兒童入學年齡將從6歲降至3歲
Children in France will start school at the age of three instead of six, under new reforms announced by President Emmanuel Macron.
法國總統(tǒng)馬克龍宣布最新改革舉措，法國兒童的入學年齡將從6歲降至3歲。
The change will give France one of the lowest compulsory school starting ages in Europe.
此舉將使法國成為歐洲義務教育入學年齡最低的國家之一。
But it will only affect a small number of children, as the majority of French families already choose to send their children to school at three.
不過，這項改革將僅僅影響少數(shù)兒童，因為多數(shù)法國家庭的孩子都已經在3歲時入學了。
Only 2.4% of children are not enrolled at that age, government figures show.
據(jù)政府數(shù)據(jù)，僅有2.4%的兒童在3歲時沒有入學。
Mr Macron said the change was intended to reduce inequality in education, as parents in poorer areas of France and in overseas territories are less likely to send their children to school at an early age.
馬克龍表示，這項改革旨在減少教育不平等現(xiàn)象，因為生活在較貧困地區(qū)和海外領地的父母不太可能讓孩子較早入學。
In Paris, 93% of three-year-olds are enrolled but the figure is much lower in some overseas territories, according to Le Monde.
據(jù)《法國世界報》報道，巴黎93%的3歲兒童入學讀書，但在一些海外領地，這一比例要低得多。
"I hope that with this obligation, from the start of the school year in 2019, we can... correct this unacceptable differential," Mr Macron told a conference on Tuesday.
馬克龍在周二的會議上說：“我希望有了這項義務教育政策之后，從明年的學年開始，我們能夠糾正這種不可接受的教育差異。”
He hailed the change as "a founding moment in the French education system".
他稱這項改革為“法國教育體系的奠基時刻”。
There is much debate about when children should begin formal education.
關于兒童應何時開始接受正規(guī)教育有諸多爭議。
A study published in 2015 found that children who started school later were less likely to be inattentive or hyperactive in class.
2015年發(fā)布的一項調查表明，較晚上學的兒童在課堂上注意力不集中和多動的現(xiàn)象會少一些。
Finland, Poland and Estonia - three of Europe's most academically successful countries - have a school starting age of seven.
芬蘭、波蘭和愛沙尼亞是歐洲三個學術上最有成就的國家，這三個國家的兒童都是7歲入學。
But children in those countries have usually been in a nursery, where they have been learning through play and games. Class sizes are also generally smaller.
但這些國家的兒童之前都會上幼兒園，在那里他們通過玩耍和游戲學習。班級規(guī)模一般也更小。
歐洲國家和地區(qū)兒童入學年齡：
4歲：北愛爾蘭
5歲：塞浦路斯、英格蘭、馬耳他、蘇格蘭、威爾士
6歲：奧地利、比利時、克羅地亞、捷克共和國、丹麥、德國、希臘、匈牙利、冰島、愛爾蘭共和國、意大利、列支敦士登、盧森堡、荷蘭、挪威、葡萄牙、羅馬尼亞、斯洛伐克、斯洛文尼亞、西班牙、瑞士、土耳其
7歲：保加利亞、愛沙尼亞、芬蘭、拉脫維亞、立陶宛、波蘭、塞爾維亞
再來看看其他國家對兒童入學年齡都是怎么規(guī)定的：
美國：每個州的入學規(guī)定不同，但是大部分的州政府規(guī)定入學年齡為五歲(五歲起可以上學前班，六歲開始上一年級)。
澳大利亞：每個州對入學日期的限制不同。雖然有最早入學的界限，但是有相當一部分的家長會選擇盡量延遲孩子入學時間。入學年齡從4歲到7歲，平均入學年齡是5.2歲。
加拿大：男女生的入學年齡是一樣的，5歲的時候就可以進入公立學校讀書了。
日本：與我國類似，日本也是6周歲開始上小學。
韓國：父母可以根據(jù)孩子的能力來確定上學的年齡。按照中小學教育法的規(guī)定，凡是年滿6周歲的兒童便可入學，但是6歲入學不是強制性的。
新西蘭：小學入學年齡是5歲。
