EDUCATION : EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION CLOSE TO TARGET, STUDY FINDS.

• Position: Brief article

In 2006, 87% of four-year-olds participated in pre-primary education in Europe. This is one of the key figures of a comparative study on early childhood education and care in the member states and in Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein in 2006-2007, presented by the European Commission, on 16 February. It is part of a follow-up to a 2006 communication, in which the Commission expressly encouraged pre-primary education and set a new target of 90% participation by four-year-olds by 2020.

Education in Europe is organised primarily according to either a unitary' model, for all children of pre-school age, or a separate structures' model, according to age group. The two models co-exist in a few countries, but the separate structures model is the most widespread in Europe. High quality in pre-primary education is ensured by a favourable child-staff ratio, well trained...