* Early forms of education: Informal forms of education existed for millennia, with parents and elders teaching children essential skills and knowledge for survival and participation in their communities. This wasn't formalized schooling in the way we understand it today.
* Ancient civilizations: Formalized education systems, though vastly different from modern schools, emerged in various ancient civilizations. Examples include:
* Ancient Mesopotamia (c. 3000 BCE): Scribal schools trained scribes in reading, writing, and mathematics.
* Ancient Egypt (c. 3000 BCE): Similar scribal schools existed.
* Ancient Greece (c. 8th century BCE): While initially focused on elite males, education became more structured, with philosophers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle influencing educational thought.
* Ancient Rome (c. 6th century BCE): Roman education, influenced by the Greeks, also focused on the elite, emphasizing rhetoric and practical skills.
* Development of formal schooling: The development of formal schooling as we know it, with structured curricula, buildings dedicated to teaching, and a more widespread system, occurred gradually over centuries. The establishment of universities in the Middle Ages marks a significant step in this process.
Therefore, there's no single starting date. The evolution of schooling is a long and complex process with different stages of development in different cultures and time periods. The earliest forms can be traced back thousands of years, but formal schooling as a widespread institution is a relatively recent phenomenon.