Early childhood education is rooted in the Arab culture. Of particular importance for the implementation of early childhood education is the academic psycho-educational movement in the Arab world (initiated by Tsmail El Kabani and Dr. Abel Aziz El Koussy), which began in the 1920s. This movement, combined with rapid social change (including the entrance of women into the work force) led to a push for early education, which centers around ages 2-5 and includes nursery school and kindergarten. For children below age 2, day care centers provide some custodial care. However, early childhood education in Egypt and Kuwait is not included in the regular public education system. Nursery schools mainly provide some kind of "child keeping," while kindergartens are primarily concerned with pre-academic orientation, focusing on preparation for formal school learning. For the future, the emphasis in early childhood education in these countries must not only be upon care, but also upon learning and development. (SKC)