KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 6 — The Parliamentary Select Committee on Women, Children, and Community Development said that Malaysia needs a specific Act and a single agency to regulate the early childhood care and education (ECCE) sector for the sake of the nation’s human capital development.
Its chairman cum Puchong MP Yeo Bee Yin said this was because the ECCE sector in Malaysia still lagged far behind in terms of policy, governance, and funding compared to other human capital development sectors like primary and secondary education, higher education, and vocational training.
“Overall, our country has no comprehensive policy or specific Act governing the ECCE sector. In addition, there are many overlapping functions among various agencies,” she said.
Yeo was speaking at a briefing session on the DR.17/2025 Statement concerning the ECCE sector in Malaysia in the Dewan Rakyat today.
She added that the committee held 13 engagement sessions in preparing what she described as a comprehensive report, involving various departments, experts, universities, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), as well as conducting a working visit to Singapore to study its ECCE model.
As such, Yeo proposed establishing a dedicated agency, similar to Singapore’s Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), to assume full responsibility for regulating and developing the ECCE sector.
However, the main challenges facing the ECCE sector included complex and inconsistent licensing procedures for childcare centres and kindergartens, a shortage of qualified personnel, and financial strain on private operators offering affordable fees.
“In our engagement sessions with ECCE operators, we often hear complaints about bureaucratic hurdles in obtaining premises and business registration. It is very troublesome, and sometimes they give up.
“This has resulted in a very low registration rate for private childcare centres and kindergartens compared to the actual number operating in our country,” she said.
Yeo also voiced concern over the disparity in the quality of ECCE education and facilities between urban and rural areas, as well as between public and private sector providers.
Accordingly, among the key recommendations put forward are establishing a National Early Childhood Care and Education Council, providing annual grants to non-profit private operators, and establishing more public ECCE premises.
The committee also proposed standardising qualification and certification requirements for early education teachers across all agencies and increasing the preschool food aid allocation in Sabah and Sarawak to RM5 per capita daily.
She noted that early childhood education forms a vital foundation in shaping the future of individuals and the nation.
“The goal is clear, which is to ensure that no child is left behind and that every child in Malaysia achieves holistic development regardless of race, religion, or socio-economic background,” Yeo said.
Meanwhile, before adjourning today’s sitting, Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Ramli Mohd Noor suggested that all recommendations made by the special select committees, as well as proposals raised by MPs during debates, be submitted as motions for the relevant ministers to respond to.
“It was found that many questions were left unanswered, and in the case of many proposals, it was unclear as to whether they would become government policy or not. Why not have the committee chairmen propose that the relevant ministers and ministries respond, so we get a clear picture of whether these recommendations are accepted or not?” he said.
The sitting will resume tomorrow.
