Starting school at six: Are we truly ready to put children first?


IN principle, the National Education Blueprint 2026-2035's policy of allowing children to enter Year One at the age of six aligns Malaysia with many developed nations, including Japan and Australia, where formal schooling begins at six.

I am not against this decision. In fact, I welcome reform. However, meaningful reform requires more than aligning entry age with global practice. It demands deep consideration of child development, equity, teacher readiness and system capacity.

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School , age entry , system readiness

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