‘Wait-and-see’ attitude behind low Year 1 registration for six-year-olds

 PIBGN president Ali Hassan says parents want to assess school readiness before enrolling six-year-olds into Year 1.

Starting in 2027, Year 1 will begin at age six, but entry will be voluntary and require diagnostic screening to determine pupils’ readiness for formal schooling. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA:

A “wait-and-see” approach among parents is believed to have led to unexpectedly low registration numbers for six-year-olds entering Year 1 in 2027, far below government projections.

Ali Hassan.

National Parent-Teacher Associations Consultative Council (PIBGN) president Ali Hassan said many parents are still unsure about the readiness of schools, particularly in terms of classrooms, class sizes and teacher availability.

He said the development was not surprising as this is the first time six-year-olds are allowed to start Year 1.

He added that parents have raised multiple concerns over whether schools are adequately prepared to accommodate the increased intake without affecting learning quality.

“Among their concerns is whether new classrooms, including container units or those still under construction, are fully ready and comfortable for use.

“They also question whether increased enrolment will lead to larger class sizes, which could affect the effectiveness of teaching and learning,” he told FMT.

He said some parents also feel their children are not yet ready for formal schooling. They include those who did not attend preschool, especially in rural areas.

“The government needs to make earlier preparations and reassure parents that all aspects have been carefully planned so that children are not affected by the implementation of this policy,” Ali said.

Deputy education minister Wong Kah Woh previously told the Dewan Rakyat that only 73,386 applications had been received for the 2027 school year, far below the projected 400,000.

He said the ministry will scale down its recruitment plans, targeting 3,150 contract teachers next year instead of up to 20,000 under earlier projections.

Fouzi Singon.

Separately, National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) secretary-general Fouzi Singon said the issue is also linked to parents’ level of confidence in changes to the national education system.

He said parents today tend to take into account multiple factors before a decision is made, including children’s readiness, the number of teachers and school facilities.

“Many parents are still worried whether the education ministry is truly ready in terms of teachers and infrastructure to implement schooling at age six.

“However, many countries have long implemented schooling at age six. If we continue to hesitate, these children will fall a year behind their peers in the future,” he said. - FMT