KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Education (MOE) is stepping up preparations for the intake of two Year One cohorts in 2027, including the construction of 2,596 new classrooms and the recruitment of 3,150 contract of service (COS) teachers, based on current registration figures.
Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh said the ministry has received 73,386 Year One registration applications for six-year-old children for the 2027 school session, while the number of seven-year-old children stands at 405,033.
He said the combined total of 478,419 applications represents a 12.07 per cent increase compared with Year One enrolment in 2026, which involved only the seven-year-old cohort.
"Therefore, the MOE is implementing various preparatory measures, including the construction of new classrooms using the Industrialised Building System (IBS) modular method across 838 schools, with the projects expected to be completed this year,” he said during question time in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He was replying to a question from Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias (BN-Jelebu).
On coordination between pre-school and kindergarten education and pupils’ readiness from different early education backgrounds, Wong said parents are given the option to decide their child’s readiness, either to join the six-year-old cohort or remain in the seven-year-old cohort.
He said the MOE has also added 350 pre-school classes this year, compared with about 150 classes annually previously, to ensure wider access to pre-school education, particularly for B40 families who are unable to afford private kindergartens.
At the same time, he said the ministry is reviewing the implications for the sustainability of private kindergartens following the loss of one cohort, while engagement sessions with stakeholders continue.
Replying to a supplementary question from Datuk Idris Ahmad (PN-Bagan Serai) on teacher training for six-year-old pupils and projections of teacher shortages by state, Wong said the MOE has a five-year projection on teacher requirements at both national and state levels.
He said that apart from COS teachers, the ministry will also appoint reserve candidates from the Education Service Commission (SPP) to meet current needs, while strengthening professional training in preparation for the intake of six-year-old pupils into Year One.
"At the same time, we will make full use of the Year One transition programme to support pupils’ adjustment and ensure the 2027 school curriculum, which will be implemented next year, is tailored to pupils’ developmental levels and needs,” he added. - BERNAMA