Elementary Education

Elementary education is often preceded by some form of preschool for children age 3 to 5 or 6 and is often followed by secondary education.Despite the many cultural and political differences among nations, the objectives and curriculum at least of elementary education tend to be similar. Nearly all nations are officially committed to mass education, which is viewed as eventually including a full elementary education for all. An increasing agreement may therefore be found among nations to the effect that preparation for citizenship is one of the major objectives of elementary education. In terms of curriculum, this objective suggests an emphasis on reading and writing skills, arithmetic skills, and basic social studies and science.