THE government has dropped the requirement for a diagnostic screening test for children aged six who wish to enrol in standard one, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced today.
Responding to an additional question from Muar lawmaker Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman during the Prime Minister’s Question Time, Anwar said the Education Ministry decided to abolish the screening test to avoid creating a discriminatory barrier for young learners.
“Although the initial proposal to have an assessment before a child enters school was well-meant, it was felt that it could become discriminatory, potentially labelling a child as ‘not qualified’ or ‘not smart enough’ before they even start,” the Prime Minister said, underscoring concerns about the psychological impact on children.
“So, the Education Minister has then proposed to abolished it.”
The decision follows significant public debate and pushback from educators, lawmakers and civil society over the ministry’s earlier plan to introduce a diagnostic screening to determine whether children as young as six are ready for formal schooling.
Under the previous proposal by the Education Ministry, six-year-old children would be eligible to enter standard one from the 2027 school session, but only if they passed a diagnostic screening that assessed their learning readiness.
Under that plan, children who began school at six were expected to complete upper secondary education at 16 under the revised schooling structure.
However, critics warned that such a screening could foster inequality and undue pressure on young learners. Some argued the test risked favouring children from more advantaged backgrounds and could widen educational disparities.
Opposition leaders and other stakeholders also raised concerns about readiness, logistics and resource constraints. They pointed to questions about school infrastructure, teacher availability and whether the system could absorb an earlier influx of pupils.
Under the current policy, early Standard One entry remains optional, with parents retaining the choice to enrol their children at six or at the conventional age of seven.
Anwar said Malaysia should not lag behind global education trends, noting that UNESCO data showed 137 countries, or more than 71 per cent worldwide, already set the entry age for primary school at six.
“We are giving parents a choice. At the early stage, we do not want them to feel shocked or forced, but we are providing space and time for preparation before entering standard one,” he said.
Anwar also outlined preparations to support the policy, including infrastructure expansion and teacher recruitment.
A total of 10,514 preschool classrooms across 6,469 institutions have been expanded nationwide, including 150 classrooms in 2025 and 350 new preschool classrooms planned for 2026.
The government is also seeking an additional RM800 million allocation to facilitate the recruitment of 18,000 new teachers.
Anwar said the additional funding would be tabled under this year’s Budget, with the Education Ministry, Finance Ministry and Economy Ministry already taking steps to expedite implementation. – January 27, 2026
