Why Private Preschools Must Be of Utmost Importance in Malaysia’s New Education Plan (2026 – 2035) | KiddyNews

Perspective from former Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik

Early Childhood Education Cannot Remain Peripheral

Malaysia’s New Education Plan (2026–2035) sets out to strengthen equity, quality and coherence across the education system. While these goals are timely, Dr Maszlee Malik argues that one critical area still risks being overlooked: early childhood education, particularly the private preschool sector.

In his view, early childhood education is often treated as a supplementary layer rather than a core foundation of national reform despite the fact that most Malaysian children begin formal learning in private preschools before entering primary school.

Private Preschools Educate the Majority of Young Children

According to national estimates cited by Dr Maszlee, more than 3,000 private kindergarten branches operate nationwide, employing over 100,000 early childhood educators. Each year, between 650,000 and 700,000 children aged two to six are enrolled in private early childhood centres.

For many families, especially in urban and semi-urban areas, private preschools are not an alternative option, they are the main entry point into structured education. Dr Maszlee notes that this reality should fundamentally shape how education reform is designed.

Early Learning Shapes Long-Term Outcomes

Dr Maszlee highlights international research showing that the years between ages two and six are formative for cognitive, language and socio-emotional development. Skills and learning habits formed during this stage strongly influence later academic and life outcomes.

From a systems perspective, he argues that reforms focusing only on primary or secondary education risk addressing problems too late, while leaving early developmental foundations insufficiently supported.

Year One Policy Changes Will Affect Preschools

The plan to allow optional entry of six-year-olds into Year One from 2027 is intended to provide flexibility for families. However, Dr Maszlee cautions that this policy could have direct operational consequences for private kindergartens, many of which rely on six-year-old enrolments to sustain staffing, teacher retention and financial stability.

Without adaptive measures, smaller providers may face contraction, experienced educators could exit the sector, and parental choice may be reduced. These are outcomes that could undermine broader education goals.

Call for Coherent Governance and Licensing

Dr Maszlee also points to longstanding issues of fragmented oversight in early childhood education. He suggests that a single Early Childhood Education licence covering ages two to six under the Ministry of Education could improve consistency, quality assurance and workforce planning.

However, he stresses that consolidation alone is not enough. Governance reform must be accompanied by professional support, adequate capacity and data-driven planning to ensure real improvements for children and educators.

Equity Through Collaboration, Not Division

While welcoming the government’s commitment to prioritising public preschool access for five-year-olds from B40 families, Dr Maszlee warns against framing equity as a choice between public and private provision.

He notes that many high-performing education systems adopt a complementary approach, where public and private providers work together, with the state setting standards and access, while private centres expand capacity and respond to local needs.

Long-Term Planning Is Essential

At the heart of Dr Maszlee’s argument is the need for long-term vision. A sector employing over 100,000 educators and serving hundreds of thousands of children annually cannot be governed through short-term directives alone.

Issues such as teacher training, career pathways, professional recognition and remuneration in early childhood education require planning over decades, not election cycles.

A Foundational Pillar of Education Reform

Dr Maszlee concludes that education reform does not begin in Year One, it begins in classrooms serving two-, three- and four-year-olds, many of them privately run.

If Malaysia is serious about building an equitable, high-quality and future-ready education system, he argues that the private preschool sector must be recognised as a structural pillar of national education planning, not an afterthought.

Source:

The Edge Malaysia  – “Opinion: Why Malaysia’s private pre-school sector must be central to New Education Plan (2026–2035)”

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