A study from the United Nations culture agency Unesco says that Switzerland is lagging behind other countries in educating its young children.
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The Swiss Unesco commission on Friday recommended that investing more in the education of pre-school children would benefit the economy as a whole.
A study carried out by Fribourg University found that the education of young children in the country was at best mediocre. Switzerland belonged to a group of a few countries that had no clear concept for the education of children under six years.
The study also found gaps in Switzerland in how underprivileged children and those with special needs were treated.
Unesco has said that investment in pre-school children helps avoid later costs, arguing that every Swiss franc spent could pay for itself as much as four times over in subsequent benefits to the economy.
The Pisa international student assessment programme has confirmed a link between how children under six are introduced to education and later school performance.
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Pre-schoolers missing out on education
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With only 23 per cent of three to four year olds attending some form of pre-school in 2003, Swiss children have a lot of catching up to do with their European counterparts. The European average was 65 per cent. The aim of the Unesco study is to establish the state of affairs in all Switzerland’s…
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However, a senior education official downplayed the relevance of the study by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Isabelle Chassot, who heads the Conference of Cantonal Education Directors, warned in Bern on Tuesday that even though pupils were asked the same set of questions in 57 countries, the study should not be seen…
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The latest study by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development says standards among member states are continuing to rise. The Paris-based group says thanks to big efforts at the higher level of education in Switzerland, the percentage of graduates to the population had increased from 10.4 per cent to 25.9 per cent between 2000…
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.