[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-seo-131682-105":59,"doc-detail-131682-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":60,"data":61},"ok",{"site_id":62,"language":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"keywords":66,"description":67,"schema_data":68,"social_meta":123,"head_meta":125,"extra_data":127,"updated_unix":129},105,"en","the-preschool-mandate-key-rationale-challenges-and-policy-considerations","The preschool mandate - key rationale, challenges and policy considerations","","Preschool should be made compulsory to address widespread gaps in early learning and school readiness among Malaysian children aged 4 to 6. Benefits highlighted include faster development of core 3R skills, stronger cognitive and social abilities, and narrower educational disparities, supporting preparation for primary school. The article also weighs constraints such as rural unavailability, low parental awareness, affordability, and uneven teacher quality, while noting diverse parental reasons including homeschooling, religious motivations, and special needs. Policy should proceed cautiously by expanding capacity, especially through KEMAS centres, to reach near-universal enrolment goals.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":40,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/the-preschool-mandate-key-rationale-challenges-and-policy-considerations/131682/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/the-preschool-mandate-key-rationale-challenges-and-policy-considerations/131682.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Ava Thompson","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-09-26","2026-08-13",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":44},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"Why does the government intend to make preschool education compulsory?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"To strengthen school readiness and reduce educational gaps caused by children not attending preschool, improving early learning of core 3R skills and preparing them for primary school.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"What concerns and barriers are raised about making preschool compulsory?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"Rural availability, parents’ awareness, affordability, and below-average teacher quality are cited, along with concerns about cost, capacity, long-term effects, and parental involvement.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"How should the policy be implemented to avoid rushing?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"The article advises caution while expanding early education centres, especially in rural areas through KEMAS, so the move supports near-universal enrolment goals without leaving communities underserved.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},131682,1786663334,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":39,"category_name":40,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":44,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":8,"language":139,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":129,"read_time":81},1649267921044,"https://us-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/1800007509477c92dfb?_k=1786009248482753345","TARIKH:02 OGOS 2025(SABTU)  \nBERITA HARIAN  \nUTUSAN M'SIA  \nN.STRAITS TIMES  \n# The preschool mandate\n\nA crucial first step towards asolid foundation in education  \nN5TPG2  \nERE’S why preschool will soon be compulsory:In2021,a total of 286,861 Malaysian children be-tween 4 and 6 years old did not attend one beforestarting Year 1.These children,representingabout 27 per cent of that age group,reportedly lacked\"school-readiness skills\".Still,attending any preschool-whether government-run or private—is widely consideredas vital to quickly teach children to read,write and count.Children's \"3R”skills are also complemented by parentalguidance,pop culture TV and social media programming.The contrast in these formative cognitive skills betweenchildren who attend preschool and those who don't can beglaring.A simple yardstick to appraise preschoolers is theirability to read and grasp age-appropriate books by authorslike Enid Blyton.Children who skip preschool may takeyears of primary school education to become adept atreading such books,if at all English is their primary lan-guage of instruction.While not yet compulsory,the gov-ernment intends to make preschool education mandatoryafter it addresses existing disparities.  \nTHE STAR  \nPre-school unavailability in rural areas,low parental  \nawareness,affordability and below-average teacher quality  \nhave to be worked out.Despitethese issues,preschool enrol-ment,according to some studies,has hit 90 per cent coverage,al-though the Education Ministryestimates it is closer to 80 percent and,hence,the aim to leg-islate early education.  \n...the move  \nto make  \npreschool  \nmandatory must  \nnot be hasty,but  \nneither should it  \nTo understand the 10-20 percent of parents who did not enroltheir children,their reasoningmay have merit.They prefer to  \nbe delayed  \nhomeschool their“unprepared”children for better nur-turing and bonding.Some are motivated by religious beliefsor special needs,feeling that kindergartens are ill-equippedfor that purpose.Unfortunately,a segment of parents whowant preschool education for their children face financialbarriers,particularly if childcare is also required.Despitethese concerns,the government believes a mandatory lawwould reinforce the message that early education is crucial.It also aligns with the goal of achieving 98 per cent en-rolment,exceeding the world average.However,caution isadvised:to serve rural communities,the Community De-velopment Department's(Kemas)early education centreshave to be expanded.  \nPreschool education is a complex issue,with the mainimpetus stemming from the impact on child cognitive de-velopment,social equity and feasibility.The benefits in-clude enhanced academic and social skills,reduced ed-ucational gaps and better preparation for primary school.However,critics will point to cost,eapacity,long-termeffectsand parental involvement.Whatever the challenges,themove to make preschool mandatory must not be hasty,butneither should it be delayed.The profound,long-term im-pact of preschool makes it the foundation of our nation'sfuture.  \nSINAR HARIAN","cbCaifqoaC3twIc0","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaifqoaC3twIc0","pdf",141379,"English","# The preschool mandate\n## Why preschool should be compulsory\n## Barriers and coverage estimates\n## Parental reasons and special circumstances\n## Benefits, criticisms, and implementation caution","[{\"question\":\"Why does the government intend to make preschool education compulsory?\",\"answer\":\"To strengthen school readiness and reduce educational gaps caused by children not attending preschool, improving early learning of core 3R skills and preparing them for primary school.\"},{\"question\":\"What concerns and barriers are raised about making preschool compulsory?\",\"answer\":\"Rural availability, parents’ awareness, affordability, and below-average teacher quality are cited, along with concerns about cost, capacity, long-term effects, and parental involvement.\"},{\"question\":\"How should the policy be implemented to avoid rushing?\",\"answer\":\"The article advises caution while expanding early education centres, especially in rural areas through KEMAS, so the move supports near-universal enrolment goals without leaving communities underserved.\"}]","The preschool mandate - key rationale, challenges and policy considerations | PDF"]