For example:
* Ancient Mesopotamia (c. 3000 BCE): Scribal schools existed, but were likely more like apprenticeships within temples or the homes of scribes. There's no evidence of purpose-built school buildings.
* Ancient Egypt (c. 3000 BCE): Similarly, education happened in temples and the homes of teachers.
* Ancient Greece (c. 5th Century BCE): While places like Plato's Academy existed, they weren't necessarily dedicated school buildings in the modern sense.
The idea of a formal, purpose-built school building likely developed over time and varied regionally. Pinpointing the very first one is impossible due to a lack of consistent historical records and the gradual evolution of educational structures.