Primary education is a term that refers to the formal teaching of children after they have progressed from pre-school settings and before they have reached secondary school. Although the ages of children in primary education vary around the world, this usually means from about the age of five to around the age of eleven. In some cases, primary education is carried out at home, but by far the majority of children attend a primary school to receive it. As such, it is a professional pursuit in nearly every part of the world with only qualified teachers being able to work in it. In some cases, unqualified assistants may also be used, but a professional is still required to oversee such work.
To many people, the purpose of life is very clear. It has been laid out clearly either by their parents, teachers or religious leaders. For others, it is much harder to work out. In fact, many philosophers have argued for centuries about what the true purpose of life is. There is a distinction between what the purpose of any life is and what it means to an individual, of course. Some people believe they have found a purpose in their life if, for example, they do a job that they find fulfilling. To others, the purpose of all human life is to work towards a higher purpose that is bigger than any individual. Broadly speaking, the latter is a spiritual interpretation of a life's purpose.
Also known as nursery education, early childhood education is the process of teaching younger children, usually through play and exploration, that prepares them for more formal school education at a later stage. It is a branch of educational theory that has been built on since the so-called Age of Enlightenment when European educators were looking at ways to improve literacy rates among the population. In modern times, early childhood education has tended to be standardised in the western world. Many of the professionals working in it require a higher level of education and registration under an official inspectorate that aims to maintain standards.