PUTRAJAYA, Jan 20 — The early admission of six-year-old children into Year One will be flexible, as it is not mandatory and will only involve parents and pupils who are ready, said Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.
She said parents must assess their children’s readiness before school registration, while the Education Ministry (MOE) would conduct diagnostic assessments to identify the basic education 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. That is why we said earlier, parents need to identify this, and then the MOE will conduct diagnostic assessments in terms of psychomotor aspects and so on.
“This year, the MOE will set a timeline for the collection of data on six-year-old children nationwide, and parents who find their children are ready may proceed with registration before Year 1 children start school in 2027,” she said at a press conference after the launch of the National Education Blueprint 2026-2035 (RPN) here today.
During the RPN launch, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that from 2027, children aged six may enrol in Year 1, but it is not mandatory and is subject to parental discretion.
Commenting on concerns over a possible influx of pupils and school infrastructure issues next year, Fadhlina explained that the move would be phased to prioritise students who are truly ready.
“Parents’ concerns would certainly be about infrastructure. When a larger cohort enters Year 1, infrastructure will naturally become a key issue. The solution is to start with those who are ready first. From the data we collect, only then can we organise (other things), including infrastructure,” she said.
She said the existing cohort of seven-year-old pupils will continue as usual, while the addition of six-year-olds into Year 1 will be based on data and school readiness.
She also advised parents not to panic, but instead to assess their children’s readiness together with the MOE, and welcomed children who were truly prepared to begin learning earlier than usual.
According to Fadhlina, teachers will be allocated according to pupils’ needs, and all preparations would be made to ensure a smooth transition for children into primary school.
