Activist: Smooth implementation needed for early Year 1 rollout

KUCHING (Jan 28): Sarawak social activist Voon Shiak Ni has called on the Ministry of Education (MoE) to provide a sufficient transition period before enforcing any new policy standardising the entry age for Year 1, warning that abrupt implementation could disadvantage children who are not developmentally ready.

In a statement on Tuesday, Voon said while she supports efforts to standardise the official age for Year 1 nationwide, any policy should be implemented at a later date to accommodate current five- and six-year-olds who may struggle to adapt.

“Children who are already in the system or preparing for entry should not be adversely affected by sudden policy changes,” she said, stressing that adequate lead time is essential to protect children’s mental, emotional and social wellbeing.

Voon welcomed the Ministry of Education’s decision to drop the proposed diagnostic test for six-year-olds entering Year 1, describing it as a child-centred move.

However, she noted that the issue of entry age remains unresolved, creating uncertainty among parents and schools.

She pointed out that the current framework, which allows entry at either six or seven years old depending on interpretation, has resulted in inconsistencies across schools and situations where children of the same birth cohort are placed in different academic years.

According to Voon, the lack of a clearly enforced entry age has also placed pressure on families to push children into early enrolment regardless of developmental readiness.

Mixed-age classrooms present further challenges for teachers in managing learning outcomes and student wellbeing.

She said a clearly defined and standardised entry age, implemented with a proper transition period, would allow educators and parents to better prepare children and monitor their cognitive, emotional and social development during the critical early years of formal education.

Voon urged the ministry to clearly communicate any new policy well in advance to schools, educators and parents to ensure smooth implementation and avoid confusion.

“Clarity, consistency and sufficient preparation time are essential to safeguard children’s best interests, reduce inequality and strengthen confidence in Malaysia’s education governance,” she added.

Starting in 2027, Malaysia will implement a more flexible school entry policy, allowing children to begin Year 1 at age six instead of the traditional age of seven.

The change is voluntary, and parents may still choose to enrol their children at age seven if they prefer.

Preschool entry will also be lowered to age five.

The policy aims to adapt to modern educational needs and provide more options to parents regarding their children’s education pace.