Preschool leads to success

A study released Thursday by the Bertelsmann Stiftung, a German think tank, concluded that children who attend preschool are 40 percent more likely to reach university.

The study surveyed children born in Germany between 1990 and 1995 on whether or not they attended preschool. Other factors were also taken into account, such as gender, the educational background of their parents, and household income.

The result was that among children from disadvantaged backgrounds who attended preschool, two-thirds more went on to study at university than those who did not attend. The trend was also strong for those from an average background, with 40 percent more matriculating than those who began their education at kindergarten.

Findings challenge government payouts

The study's finding that preschool attendance can benefit one's educational future calls into question Germany's new federal program of financial support to new parents.

The scheme, which is set to begin in 2013, will give 150 Euros per month as care money to parents who keep their new children at home for three years.

16 German lobby organizations, including the Confederation of German Trade Unions, the women's advocacy group Deutscher Frauenrat, and the child protection group Kinderschutzbund, signed an open letter stating their disapproval of the care money program, calling it “counter-productive.” The letter, which was released Wednesday in Berlin, says the program contradicts the principles of modern society and solidifies traditional gender roles.

Critics also note the high cost of the program, which would be around 1.2 million Euros a year. Some fear low-income parents may keep their children at home simply to receive government payouts.

Those behind the open letter say they support a proposal made by the Free Democrats (FDP) to give out education vouchers to pay for pre-school education, rather than cash payments.

mk/AP/Reuters
Editor: Matt Hermann