HULU LANGAT, Jan 24 — The First Thousand Days of Children Project has been identified as a strategic initiative by the Selangor government to shape a quality generation through the physical, cognitive and emotional development of children before they enter formal schooling.
State executive councillor for welfare Anfaal Saari said the project, which is expected to begin this June, will be one of the main focus areas of the Selangor Women’s Tour programme to expand public awareness on the importance of the first 1,000 days of a child’s life.
According to her, the first six years of a child’s life fall entirely under parental responsibility and represent the most critical phase in shaping character and mental development.
“I believe the most important period is the first six years of a child’s life, which remains fully under the responsibility of parents. From a welfare perspective, the fundamental aspects during these formative years are extremely critical.
“At the state government level, particularly in family development, we will be focusing this year on the First Thousand Days of Children project.
“This is a welfare aspect that must be prioritised. For example, a child’s cognitive development is shaped through healthy and adequate nutrition, which ultimately prepares them for readiness to enter the schooling system,” she said after the launch of the Women’s Leadership Academy Special Edition for Councillors here today.
She stated that the state initiative is expected to be implemented initially in five zones in Selangor, namely Hulu Selangor, Kuala Selangor, Sepang, Gombak and Petaling.
Anfaal was commenting on the government’s decision to allow six-year-old children to enrol early into Year One beginning in 2027, although the implementation will not be compulsory and will depend on parental consent, as outlined in the National Education Plan (RPN) 2026–2035.
Previously, Berita Harian reported that the Education Ministry (MOE) had assured that the existing number of teachers, schools and facilities is sufficient to accommodate the intake of six-year-old pupils into Year One starting next year.
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek was quoted as saying that the ministry had conducted studies and found that the identified schools have adequate teaching staff to implement the initiative.
