Is there mandatory preschool in other countries?

No country has mandatory preschool in the same way many countries have mandatory primary (elementary) school. While many countries offer preschool or kindergarten programs, and participation rates are high in some, it's almost universally *not* legally required for children to attend before they reach the age of compulsory primary education.

Several countries have extensive and well-funded preschool systems, and heavily encourage participation through subsidies or other incentives. This can lead to very high enrollment rates, giving the *impression* of mandatory preschool, but there's usually no legal penalty for not enrolling a child. Examples include:

* Scandinavian countries (Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland): These countries have high preschool enrollment rates due to government support, but attendance isn't mandatory.

* Germany: Offers extensive preschool options, but attendance is not mandatory.

* France: Similar to Germany, preschool (maternelle) is widely available but not mandatory until the age of 6 (obligatory schooling begins).

The key difference is that while many countries *strongly support* and *incentivize* preschool attendance, the absence of a legal requirement distinguishes it from primary and secondary education. Failure to send a child to primary school almost always results in legal consequences; this is not the case with preschool.