Kuala lumpur: Children from low-income B40 households are being prioritised for admission to Ministry of Education (MOE) preschools as part of efforts to ensure more equitable access to early childhood education nationwide, the Dewan Rakyat was told today. Deputy Minister Wong Kah Woh said the initiative is in line with the ministry's commitment to expanding free preschool education to prevent children from falling behind at an early stage.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the MOE is committed to ensuring that more children have access to free preschool education, in line with the ministry's core education reform agenda to expand preschool classes and address early-stage dropouts, Wong stated in response to a query from Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein (BN-Sembrong). Wong highlighted that the expansion of preschool classes is conducted annually, particularly in areas with high demand, to provide more opportunities for children, especially those from the B40 group, to enroll in MOE preschools.

In 2025, the MOE expanded 150 preschool classes, and a further expansion of 350 preschool classes across various MOE institutions is expected in 2026. This expansion raises the total number of existing preschool classes to 10,514, currently operating in 6,469 schools and educational institutions nationwide. Wong added that the expansion encompasses not only primary schools but also secondary schools, vocational colleges, matriculation colleges, and Institutes of Teacher Education.

Wong reported that a total of 214,122 preschool students are currently enrolled at educational institutions under the MOE. Regarding the readiness of facilities and teaching staff following new education initiatives, including the early admission of six-year-olds into Year One, he mentioned that new buildings would be constructed using the Industrialised Building System (IBS) in the short term to ensure facilities are completed within a shorter timeframe.

To address teaching staff requirements, Wong stated that the MOE would implement a special intake of teachers in collaboration with the Education Service Commission (SPP) as an immediate measure ahead of the intake of a new cohort. Existing school facilities will be utilised and optimised, though Wong acknowledged that additional facilities may be necessary in some schools. For long-term planning, intakes under the Bachelor of Education Programme (PISMP) and the Postgraduate Diploma in Education Programme (PDPP) will be increased, contingent on new projections to be prepared by the MOE based on available data.