MOE Gears Up for Six-Year-Old Intake with Classroom Optimization and 20,000 New Teachers

The Ministry of Education (MOE) has confirmed that it is fully prepared to manage the admission of six-year-old pupils into Year One beginning with the 2027 school session, following an encouraging response from parents nationwide. Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said online registration for Year One intake will open on 15th February, and early feedback indicates a significant surge in enrolment, particularly in urban areas.

“Our preparations are at the highest level, although we do not know for sure the number of pupils who will be enrolling,” she said, adding that the ministry is closely monitoring registration trends.

Fadhlina was speaking to reporters after officiating the Semerak Sejahtera Activity Centre for Older Persons (PAW) programme at Jalan Sungai Acheh, which was also attended by Social Welfare Department (JKM) director-general Datuk Che Murad Sayang Ram.

The minister, who is also the Nibong Tebal Member of Parliament, explained that the MOE’s immediate focus is one mapping schools and locations likely to experience a higher intake of Year One pupils from the six-year-old cohort.

“This includes identifying existing facilities, classroom capacity and optimising schools that are expected to receive an influx of students,” she said.

According to Fadhlina, the ministry anticipates that urban schools will see a higher-than-usual number of admission, as parents in these areas have shown strong support for enrolling their children at the age of six. To accommodate the expected demand, Fadhlina said the MOE will optimize the use of existing classrooms and construct additional classrooms using the Industrialised Building System (IBS), which allows for faster completion compared to conventional construction methods.

In addition to infrastructure improvements, the ministry will also recruit 20,000 teachers to ensure sufficient staffing for the increased intake. The admission of six-year-olds into Year One marks a significant shift in Malaysia’s education landscape, with the MOE emphasizing readiness, capacity planning and teacher availability as it prepares for the upcoming school session.

Sources: MalayMail