The government is encouraging six-year-old children to start formal schooling by entering Grade One starting next year as part of the country's education system improvement.
The matter was announced by Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, in conjunction with the Launching Ceremony of the National Education Plan 2026–2035 which was held in Putrajaya.
This measure aims to strengthen the foundations of early childhood education and ensure a more systematic transition to the primary school level.
However, the policy is not fully mandatory because the government takes into account the different levels of readiness of children and the views of parents on the early development of their children.
PRESCHOOL AGE 5 IS THE BASIS FOR TRANSITION TO GRADE ONE
At the same time, the government continues to allow Grade One entry for seven-year-old children. However, parents are encouraged to send five-year-old children to preschool if they are ready to build a foundation for learning earlier.
To ensure a more structured and uniform preschool system, the government is also planning to place the management and coordination of preschools under the supervision of the Ministry of Education.
This move is expected to improve the quality of early childhood education and ensure uniformity of curriculum across the country.
