Examining the preschool educational institutions in European Union Countries and in Turkey

An individual who starts education in domestic environment continues with this period at educational institutions. The qualities of educational institutions make clear distinctions in children's learning. This is a comparative study aiming to examine different variables regarding the institutions offering daily care and education, age span to attend these institutions, the curriculum, compulsory education, evaluation techniques and service duration in Turkey and in the member countries of European Union. It is a descriptive study to determine the existing situation. The findings reveal that while the compulsory education starts between the ages 4-5 in most of the EU countries, children receive pre-school education between the ages 3-6. (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer review under responsibility of Prof. Dr. Huseyin Uzunboylu