THE move of Myanmar’s administrative capital to Nay Pyi Taw 320 kilometres (200 miles) north of Yangon last November prompted lifestyle changes for many people in Myanmar’s biggest city.

One of these adjustments was the need for the families of some civil servants to find a way to ensure that their children were supervised at all times, as one parent moved north while the other stayed behind.

A solution favoured by many has been enrolling their children in preschool or kindergarten, which many educators say has benefits aside from keeping kids preoccupied.

“Children who do not start learning at a young age in preschool might be at risk of developing reading problems,” said Daw Yin Yin Kyaw, a teacher at Future World Kindergarten in Yangon.

She said it was also important to establish close links between kindergartens and basic education schools to smooth the transition from one to the other.

“Early schooling is a good investment in the development of children because research shows that a year of preschool is the best way to start their formal education,” said Daw Alex, headmistress of the Yin Thye preschool.

In the past, many preschools and kindergartens were run by teachers who knew little about childcare and early education.

Now many schools are more sophisticated, teaching not only basic physical and mental development but also specific academic subjects to aid their transition to basic education schools, said U Myint Han, director general of the Myanmar Education Research Bureau.

However, he said many private preschools still lack teachers with adequate knowledge of early childhood education.