The Importance of Incorporating Philosophy into Early Childhood Education in South Africa

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the importance of incorporating philosophy into early childhood education in South Africa. Methodology: The study adopted a desktop methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low-cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive's time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library. Results: The study found that philosophy is first introduced at the university level of education in South Africa and so the system does not maximize on the magnitude of benefits that can be accrued from exploring philosophy intensively and consistently from an early age. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study recommends that there is need to introduce philosophy for children at the basic level of education so as to promote the development of vital thinking skills and improve on the quality of education.