Over 350,000 Applications Recorded for 2027 Early Year One Intake | KiddyNews

More than 350,000 applications have been submitted for Year One admission in 2027 following the government’s move to allow children to enter primary school at age six, signalling strong parental confidence in the new policy.

Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh said as of March 2, a total of 351,789 applications had been received, including 51,457 children aged five-plus. He described the response as an indication that parents believe their children are developmentally ready and trust the flexibility of the education system being introduced.

Government to Expand Preschool Capacity

Speaking during the winding-up debate on the motion of thanks for the Royal Address in the Dewan Negara (March 3), Wong said the government would expand access to preschool education to support the anticipated increase in enrolment.

This includes adding preschool facilities within primary and secondary schools, vocational colleges, matriculation colleges and teacher education institutes.

Currently, there are 10,514 preschool classes across 6,469 institutions nationwide. The government plans to introduce 150 new classes in 2025 and a further 350 in 2026. Once completed, total government preschool capacity is expected to reach 256,894 places, compared to the current enrolment of 217,041 children.

Wider Support for Families and Communities

In a related development, Women, Family and Community Development Deputy Minister Lim Hui Ying said women-focused economic empowerment programmes continue to gain traction nationwide.

Since January this year, 70 programmes have benefited 10,651 participants. In 2025 alone, 824 programmes were conducted, reaching more than 31,000 women across the country.

She highlighted the flagship Income Generation Skills Programme, which supports women in building and growing sustainable businesses. Between 2022 and 2025, 1,158 participants were trained, recording average monthly income increases of RM1,000 to RM1,500.

What This Means for Families

The strong uptake for early Year One entry, coupled with expanded preschool infrastructure and community support programmes, reflects a broader push to strengthen early foundations for children and families. Together, these measures aim to ease school transitions, support parental confidence, and build a more inclusive and resilient education ecosystem for the years ahead.



Source:

The Star  – “Over 350,000 applications for 2027 year one entry at age six”

Thoughtfully adapted by KiddyNews. Keeping parents and educators informed with the latest ECCE developments from Malaysia and beyond.