4/18/2019 Improving preschool standards - Education | The Star Online

Improving preschool standards

EDUCATION

Sunday, 18 Sep 2016

AS preschool education is not compulsory in the country, not all parents send their children to
kindergarten.

The Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025, released in September 2012, showed that only 77%
of students were enrolled in some form of preschool education, either public or private.

But things are about to change. The same report targets universal preschool enrolment through the
Education National Key Results Area under the Government Transformation Programme.

In July this year, Malaysia played host to the Asia-Paci c Regional Policy Forum on Early Childhood
Care and Education.

During the meet, participating nations tabled an agenda under the Putrajaya Declaration to push for
integrated and inclusive legislation, policies and programmes which will provide at least one year of
free and compulsory quality pre-primary education, by 2030. Special attention will be paid to
disadvantaged children.

Change will come as early as next year, when the revised national curriculum (Kurikulum Standard
Prasekolah Kebangsaan, KSPK) kicks in. The KSPK is reviewed every seven years to ensure teaching
modules are up to date and changes are made to improve the education system.

Also, starting 2017, every new preschool teacher will need to have at least a diploma in early
education. By 2020, all teachers working in a kindergarten must have this quali cation.

“Teachers need to learn about child development, mental health, code of ethics and how to observe
and guide a child.

“They have to create a healthy and safe environment that stimulates and inspires learning.

“It’s dif cult to learn this on the job,” said Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Council
founding president Datuk Dr Chiam Heng Keng.

The training colleges and universities teach teachers how to respond to, and care for a child.

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4/18/2019 Improving preschool standards - Education | The Star Online

Courses under the diploma programme will comply with standards set by the Malaysian
Quali cation Agency, she added.

With these efforts, the Education Ministry hopes to see every child attend preschool and get a head
start in learning.

Related story:

Early start makes a difference

TAGS / KEYWORDS:

Education , Early Childhood Education

   
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