NST Leader: The preschool mandate

New Straits Times

4 days ago

HERE'S why preschool will soon be compulsory: In 2021, a total of 286,861 Malaysian children between 4 and 6 years old did not attend one before starting Year 1.
These children, representing about 27 per cent of that age group, reportedly lacked "school-readiness skills". Still, attending any preschool — whether government-run or private — is widely considered as vital to quickly teach children to read, write and count.
Children's "3R" skills are also complemented by parental guidance, pop culture TV and social media programming. The contrast in these formative cognitive skills between children who attend preschool and those who don't can be glaring.
A simple yardstick to appraise preschoolers is their ability to read and grasp age-appropriate books by authors like Enid Blyton. Children who skip preschool may take years of primary school education to become adept at reading such books, if at all English is their primary language of instruction.
While not yet compulsory, the government intends to make preschool education mandatory after it addresses existing disparities.
Pre-school unavailability in rural areas, low parental awareness, affordability and below-average teacher quality have to be worked out. Despite these issues, preschool enrolment, according to some studies, has hit 90 per cent coverage, although the Education Ministry estimates it is closer to 80 per cent and, hence, the aim to legislate early education.
To understand the 10-20 per cent of parents who did not enrol their children, their reasoning may have merit. They prefer to homeschool their "unprepared" children for better nurturing and bonding.
Some are motivated by religious beliefs or special needs, feeling that kindergartens are ill-equipped for that purpose. Unfortunately, a segment of parents who want preschool education for their children face financial barriers, particularly if childcare is also required. Despite these concerns, the government believes a mandatory law would reinforce the message that early education is crucial.
It also aligns with the goal of achieving 98 per cent enrolment, exceeding the world average. However, caution is advised: to serve rural communities, the Community Development Department's (Kemas) early education centres have to be expanded.
Preschool education is a complex issue, with the main impetus stemming from the impact on child cognitive development, social equity and feasibility. The benefits include enhanced academic and social skills, reduced educational gaps and better preparation for primary school.
However, critics will point to cost, capacity, long-term effects and parental involvement. Whatever the challenges, the move to make preschool mandatory must not be hasty, but neither should it be delayed. The profound, long-term impact of preschool makes it the foundation of our nation's future.