EARLY YEAR ONE ENTRY FOCUSES ON CHILDREN'S WELL-BEING, READINESS - FADHLINA

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 22 (Bernama) -- The early admission of six-year-olds into Year One for the 2027 school session is not aimed at fostering academic competition, but focuses instead on the welfare, well-being and readiness of the children, said Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.

She said the primary focus of the policy is to ensure that children’s rights and interests are protected, with assessments conducted holistically, covering emotional, cognitive and learning skills, rather than being based solely on age.

“This is not a race. Our focus is on ensuring children learn according to their developmental stage, rather than rushing through academic content.

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“Our children are not experiments or lab subjects. This is a policy we have already discussed and debated as part of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP),” she said during Minister’s Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today.

She was replying to a supplementary question from Roslan Hashim (PN-Kulim Bandar Baharu), who highlighted public concerns, including debates on social media about the rationale for the policy, the extent of engagement with stakeholders, and the potential social pressure on parents.

Fadhlina said public concerns were reasonable, and the Ministry of Education (MOE) is fully committed to providing explanations and ensuring the policy is implemented in the best possible manner.

On claims that the policy should have been implemented as a pilot, she emphasised that the approach is not a trial project, but a national policy carried out in a phased, controlled, and voluntary manner, with a rigorous diagnostic screening mechanism.

She said that only children who are truly ready will be offered early admission, accompanied by emotional and psychosocial support to help them adjust to a formal learning environment.

Replying to Roslan’s original question on the rationale behind the policy, Fadhlina said the early admission of Year One students is part of the 13MP, in line with international practices where primary education begins at the age of six.

“However, it is important to stress that entry at age seven remains the standard schooling pathway, and there is no compulsion on parents or children,” she said.

She added that the country’s education structure will remain unchanged, as all students will still undergo six years of primary education and five years of secondary education, with no extension of the schooling period or negative impact on the overall educational pathway.

Meanwhile, when replying to a supplementary question from Aminolhuda Hassan (PH-Sri Gading) on school, teachers, and infrastructure readiness, particularly in urban areas, Fadhlina said that every policy must be supported by comprehensive preparation.

She said the MOE has conducted early mapping to identify states and schools expected to receive high demand, while taking proactive steps such as hiring contract teachers and planning for additional classrooms.

“Our development division is also prepared to carry out all projects closely related to the construction of these additional classrooms,” she said.

-- BERNAMA