Four-year-olds are not physically fit to start school, say experts

KARACHI: Most of the schools in the port city are advising parents to get their children admitted to schools as soon as the age of two-and-a-half year, so that she or he may become habitual to go to school from very tender age.

However, an international study rejects such trends and reveals that the early age of a child is crucial and if they start their schooling at very early age, it will not be good for his body as he or she is not physically ready to perform all the activities needed for the
schooling.

Research also showed that not only are children starting school less physically ready than ever before, but that teachers are noticing this change and its impact in the classroom.

A detailed research published by Loughborough University and was issued on Friday, revealed that a child’s physical development level impacts their ability to complete simple tasks such as sitting still, holding a pencil, putting on their shoes, and especially reading – all skills essential for school.

For this research, Dr Duncombe and Movement for Learning programme leader Professor Pat Preedy have worked with classes at an independent and state school in England to pilot a programme designed to redress the decline in pupils’ physical development.

Author of the study Professor Preedy said that in this modern age, most of the children are not moving as compare to the past, therefore, they are not physically fit to learn the early level of the education. “We need to work hard to make sure that our children get the movement like early age physical games, so that they need to develop properly physically, intellectually and emotionally,” Professor suggested.

In Karachi, there are around 15000 schools and most of them are opening their admission for the children of two and half year old every year in study group, then for one year in pre-nursery and another year for nursery and at the age of five they are admitted to class I.

However, this new study reveals that if a child start schooling at early age, there is a possibility that he or she will suffer with developmental coordination disorder or medically known as dyspraxia, a condition in which child suffer with muscle weakness or of low intelligence and it is a brain-based condition that makes it hard to plan and coordinate physical movement and children with dyspraxia tend to struggle with balance and posture.

“Around 30 percent of children are starting school with symptoms typically associated with dyslexia, and ADHD,” the study further revealed.