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.

法國總統馬克龍宣佈最新改革舉措，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.

此舉將使法國成爲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兒童，因爲多數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.

據政府數據，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象，因爲生活在較貧困地區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《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.

馬克龍在週二的會議上說：“我希望有了這項義務教育政策之後，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".

他稱這項改革爲“法國教育體系的奠基時刻”。

There is much debate about when children should begin formal education.

關於兒童應何時開始接受正規教育有諸多爭議。

A study published in 2015 found that children who started school later were less likely to be inattentive or hyperactive in class.

2015年發佈的一項調查表明，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，在那裏他們通過玩耍和遊戲學習。班級規模一般也更小。