Preschool experience should be prerequisite for Year One admission - NUTP

SHAH ALAM – The National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) has recommended that only pupils who have completed preschool or kindergarten at age five should be considered for Year One entry at age six.

NUTP Secretary-General Fouzi Singon stated that children who have finished preschool and kindergarten are better equipped to manage themselves and socialise with their peers.

“The issue is that schools and the Education Ministry must make improvements and truly ensure that the Year One intake is based on a child’s level of readiness.

“That is why I suggest that only children who have attended preschool and kindergarten should be considered, based on their readiness and social development,” he told Sinar on Tuesday.

He stressed that applying this requirement would ensure Year One teachers receive pupils who are mentally and socially prepared, with the ability to grasp basic literacy and numeracy skills.

“Otherwise, teachers will undoubtedly be burdened, as they must deal with various social and self-management issues among pupils who fall outside this category,” he added.

Fouzi said parents must continue to play their role in ensuring their children can manage themselves and are prepared for basic literacy and numeracy.

He added that the Education Ministry must also be ready to improve school infrastructure and ensure a sufficient number of teachers so that educators are not overburdened.

The government recently agreed not to implement a diagnostic screening test to determine the eligibility of children entering Year One at the age of six, starting from the 2027 school session.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim stated that the matter had been carefully reviewed, noting concerns that the proposed diagnostic test could have adverse psychological effects and be discriminatory towards children.