KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 22): 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

PUTRAJAYA The implementation of a new policy allowing six-year-old children to voluntarily enter Year One starting in 2027 has drawn cautious and varied reactions from parents across the country.While the policy offers flexibility, many parents expressed concerns that their children may not be emotionally ready, lack foundational literacy skills, or struggle to adapt to the rigours of a formal school environment.Connie S

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KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 22 The early admission of six-year-olds into Year One for the 2027 school session is not aimed...

KUALA LUMPUR - 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 childrens 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

SHAH ALAM - Adequate teacher numbers and classroom capacity must be the Education Ministrys top priorities as Malaysia prepares to allow children to enter Year One at the age of six, education experts say, warning that the policy will only succeed if schools are properly equipped to support younger learners.Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) education expert Dr Anuar Ahmad said he supports the proposal to lower the Year One entry age, provided teaching approaches, curriculum design and school infrastructure are adjusted to suit six-year-olds, with the final decision left to parents.The learning methods and classroom strategies used for six-year-olds need to be adjusted accordingly.This makes retraining essential, so teachers are equipped with the skills to manage younger pupils alongside seven-year-olds in the same classroom, he told Sinar Daily.He said there is still time for meaningful preparation before implementation, including retraining teachers to understand behavioural differences and adapt teaching techniques.Anuar also stressed that the curriculum must be reviewed and tested through pilot studies to ensure it is developmentally appropriate for younger pupils.The curriculum itself must be reviewed, with pilot studies conducted to ensure it is suitable for children aged six

PUTRAJAYA - Six-year-old students will only be eligible to enter Year One in 2027 if they successfully pass a special diagnostic test to be introduced by the Education Ministry (MOE).Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the move is in line with the implementation of the Malaysia Education Plan (RPM) 20262035, announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, aimed at giving parents greater flexibility in determining their childrens early education pathway.She said the new policy is not mandatory but an option that must be supported by a special diagnostic assessment to evaluate the students psycho-emotional development, skills and readiness before they progress to Year One.We are not leaving this decision solely to parents

SHAH ALAM The move to allow children to begin Year One schooling at the age of six is seen as an appropriate step, provided both parents and children are genuinely ready from next year.Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia education expert Dr Anuar Ahmad said the move was reasonable as most countries around the world begin primary education at that age."With todays environment, our children are already exposed to various forms of media and social interaction

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 21): Children entering Year One early at the age of six (5+), starting from the 2027 session, are expected to complete upper secondary education at 16, according to the Ministry of Education (MOE)

KUALA LUMPUR - Children entering Year One early at the age of six (5+), starting from the 2027 session, are expected to complete upper secondary education at 16, according to the Education Ministry (MOE).In its Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document, the ministry explained that these pupils will not remain in Year One for two years, but will instead follow the existing education structure of six years in primary school and five years in secondary school."Pupils will undergo five years of secondary education and complete upper secondary education at the age of 16 (15+), according to the document prepared by the MOEs Education Policy Planning and Research Division.However, the MOE stressed that early admission is a voluntary option for parents and is not compulsory and depends entirely on the readiness of children who have attended preschool at the age of five and passed the prescribed diagnostic screening.To ensure that learning quality is not compromised, the MOE has prepared the 2027 School Curriculum, which is tailored to pupils cognitive levels, including those who may not have attended preschool, to enable them to master basic skills effectively.In terms of infrastructure preparedness, the ministry plans to construct additional classrooms using the Industrialised Building System (IBS) method to meet pupils needs nationwide.The MOE is also committed to ensuring a sufficient supply of teachers through various training channels, including the Bachelor of Education Programme (PISMP), the Postgraduate Diploma in Education Programme (PDPP), as well as appointments under the Contract of Service (COS).The early entry policy is part of the flexibility of the national education system to provide opportunities for children who achieve academic readiness earlier to begin formal schooling before the usual age of seven

PUTRAJAYA - The early admission of six-year-old children into Year One will be implemented flexibly, as it is not mandatory and will only involve parents and pupils who are ready, says Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.She said parents needed to assess their childrens readiness before school registration, while the Education Ministry (MOE) would conduct diagnostic assessments to identify the basic educational level and specific needs of each pupil."This is important because if a child is not psychologically and emotionally ready, we do not want there to be an impact on the child

PUTRAJAYA Beginning next year, preschool education will start at the age of five, while entry into Year One will be at the age of six.The announcement was made by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during his speech at the launch of the National Education Blueprint 20262035 here today.Anwar said, however, that the change will not be made compulsory for parents.MORE TO FOLLOW

PUTRAJAYA Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has announced the implementation of the Standard Four Learning Assessment starting this year.He said the assessment will involve five core subjects: Bahasa Melayu, English, Mathematics, Science and History.Beginning this year, the Standard Four assessment will be implemented and administered by the Malaysian Examinations Board, he said when delivering his speech at the launch of the Malaysia Education Plan (RPM) and the Malaysia Higher Education Plan (RPTM) 20262035 here on Tuesday.This means that in 2027 we are not ready to make it mandatory, as there may be parents who feel that their children are not yet prepared.We will continue to allow children aged seven to enter Year One, but parents are strongly encouraged to prepare from now on so that children begin preschool at five and enter Year One at six, he said on Tuesday.Anwar added that the decision was made to keep pace with changing times and evolving demands.He explained that children today are already able to distinguish matters and demonstrate greater maturity as early as the age of five compared with previous generations.In the past, children were only eligible to enter Year One at the age of seven.At the same time, we will place comprehensive emphasis on the preschool system

So, 60 is too early to retire.This is due to longer life expectancy, better access to health and lifestyle changes, said the human resources and industrial relations expert.As such, a holistic approach must be considered when it comes to increasing the retirement age.According to the fund, the RIA framework states that a person falling under the adequate savings tier, which will provide for a reasonable standard of living, must have at least RM650,000 in savings. This is based on the RM2,690 monthly income recommended in Belanjawanku 2024/2025 and it enables monthly withdrawals starting at RM2,708 in year one of retirement

Teachers are cracking their heads to find creative ways to teach non-Chinese pupils to master the Chinese language as soon as possible, as the language is not the students mother tongue. In Kedah, SJKC Hoon Bong in Kota Kuala Muda, SJKC Sin Hwa in Merbok, and SJKC York Khoon in Yan did not have Chinese pupils going for Year One

NIBONG TEBAL - The Early Schooling Assistance (BAP) of RM150 per student must be handed over in full to parents, without any deductions, for their childrens school preparation.Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said any other payments, including Parent-Teacher Association (PIBG) fees, must be settled separately and must not be deducted from the BAP."This RM150 is allocated by the MADANI Government specifically for school preparation. Therefore, it must be handed over in full."If parents receive even 10 sen less, or an amount short by even a cent, they must inform us (the Ministry of Education) because the assistance cannot be reduced, she told reporters after attending the Penang state-level Early Schooling Assistance 2026 cheque handover ceremony at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Tun Syed Sheh Barakbah here today.Fadhlina said the government had allocated more than RM800 million for the implementation of BAP this year, benefiting about 5.2 million students from Year One to Form Six nationwide.She added that the distribution of the assistance had so far proceeded smoothly, with most parents collecting the aid during the first week of the school session, as many had taken leave to send their children to school.The Nibong Tebal Member of Parliament expressed hope that the distribution could be completed by this week, as most of the more than 10,000 schools involved had already received the allocations for immediate disbursement.In a separate development, Fadhlina said the Ministry of Education would ensure that all stakeholders, including parents, sign the Student Protection Policy at schools by next week at the latest.She said the policy addresses issues such as bullying, sexual harassment, abuse and students mental health.Yesterday, Fadhlina reaffirmed the ministrys commitment to tackling bullying in schools, noting that the signing of the Student Protection Policy reflects a collective pledge to care for, nurture and protect students.Meanwhile, she said the ministry would investigate complaints from parents regarding inconsistencies in the boarding school application system and would seek further information to facilitate a thorough investigation.Earlier, Fadhlina handed over BAP totalling more than RM34 million, benefiting over 227,000 primary and secondary school students in Penang

KUCHING (Jan 7): About RM800 million has been allocated by the government for the one-off Early Schooling Aid (BAP) of RM150 to all students from year one to form six, beginning from Jan 11

KUALA TERENGGANU Why did that car hit teacher?That is the question repeatedly asked by a seven-year-old girl after learning that her beloved teacher was killed in an accident at the Road Transport Department (JPJ) traffic light intersection here on Monday.The girls mother, Mira Rozaliya Mohamad Rozaini, 34, said her daughter, Hana Melissa Ahmad Hariz, was very close to the late Syakirah Hanan Mazli, even though she was not Hanas class teacher at Tadika Zahir Annur in Batu Buruk here.She said Hana, who will be entering Year One in the upcoming school session, often mentioned the teachers name as they frequently interacted during various daily activities at the kindergarten.The teacher was among the earliest to arrive at the kindergarten