INTRODUCING History to primary school pupils only in Years Five and Six could delay students’ mastery of the subject, teachers say.
They instead call for the subject to continue being offered from Year Four onwards, as is the current practice.
Their response follows the Education Ministry’s statement on Feb 11 that History will be offered only to Years Five and Six under the 2027 school curriculum.
In the new curriculum, primary schooling will be reorganised into three levels: Level One (Years One and Two), Level Two (Years Three and Four), and Level Three (Years Five and Six).
This marks a shift from the current two-level system, noted Years Four and Five History textbook author Ahmad Hishanuddin Ramli.
He said that primary education has traditionally been divided into two levels: Level One for Years One to Three, and Level Two for Years Four to Six.
“In Level Two, pupils are prepared for the introduction of additional subjects.
“However, if History is only introduced in Year Five, pupils may not be as prepared or as enthusiastic as they are in Year Four,” he said.
SK Taman Kosas, Selangor, History and Science teacher Aisyah Abu Hanifah said that if the subject were introduced gradually starting from Year Four, pupils would have more time to build a stronger foundation and better grasp key historical concepts.
“Some Year Five History topics appear more difficult than those in Year Six.
“Therefore, the topic content and difficulty level may need to be reviewed to ensure they are balanced and appropriate for pupils’ cognitive development,” she added.
On the merits of the move, Aisyah said that introducing History to Year Five pupils will still strengthen historical literacy among primary pupils.
“It also supports the development of critical thinking skills, improves reading comprehension, and builds a solid foundation for future History learning.
“Nevertheless, a review of the Year Five syllabus is recommended to ensure the topics are well-structured, not overly complex, and more suitable for primary pupils,” she stressed.
