The Ministry of Education has no plans to adopt a study calling for making kindergarten stage compulsory for enrollment in primary schools. An informed source in the ministry stressed that the study is just an opinion being discussed and studied by the General Administration for Kindergartens. Hissah Al-Dabbas, Director of the General Administration for Kindergartens at the Ministry of Education, said reports in some sections of the media on making kindergarten stage compulsory for getting admission in primary schools are baseless, according to a report in Asharq Al-Awsat Arabic daily. The confusion, she said, was created because of a recent circular on exceptional cases for boys and girls wishing to enroll in primary schools, but whose age is 180 days less than the legal age. The decision had stipulated that they should hold a certificate showing they have passed the preparatory stage from kindergartens in order to be enrolled in primary school. Al-Dabbas said the General Administration for Kindergartens at the ministry believes in the importance of kindergarten stage in polishing the students' personality and preparing them for enrolling in the first year primary. This is achieved through providing them with the basic knowledge and skills to keep pace with the development in the curricula.
