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THE Ministry of Education is intensifying early-stage preparations to ensure schools are operationally ready for the simultaneous entry of two age cohorts into Year One next year, a move that will place fresh demands on teachers, classrooms and school management nationwide.
Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh said the dual-cohort intake, involving children aged six and seven entering Year One at the same time, has prompted the ministry to move ahead with advance planning focused on staffing, classroom capacity and overall school operations.
He said the ministry will closely track the number of six-year-olds who register after March 31 to determine the actual needs at individual schools, stressing that parents have been given adequate time to weigh their options.
“This matter is a concern for all parties, but the ministry’s planning has already begun early, including in terms of the availability of teachers and facilities in all schools,” he said at a media briefing after a working visit to Yuk Choy Secondary School in Ipoh.
Wong noted that teacher deployment levels under the MADANI government have improved markedly, rising from 95 per cent to more than 97 per cent across all school categories, including national schools as well as Chinese and Tamil vernacular schools.
He said the ministry is also engaging with the Education Service Commission to expand teacher recruitment, including interim measures while awaiting the training of new teachers, a process that typically takes up to five years through the Teacher Education Institutes.
Addressing infrastructure constraints, Wong said the ministry is identifying schools facing classroom shortages, particularly those already operating at high capacity, and will construct additional classrooms using the Industrialised Building System.
“Through the modular IBS method, additional classrooms can be completed within four to five months, compared with two to three years for conventional construction, as implemented in Cyberjaya, which has proven effective,” he said.
On the scale of the classroom shortfall, Wong said the ministry is still refining its assessment before releasing firm figures.
“We do have data on overcrowded schools, but for schools that were previously not congested, a reassessment is needed to ensure facilities are sufficient,” he said.
Separately in Putrajaya, the ministry announced a major recruitment drive, with applications for 20,000 Education Service Officers Grade DG9 on a contract-of-service basis set to open from March 2 to March 20 to address nationwide teacher demands.
Director-General of Education Dr Mohd Azam Ahmad said the official recruitment announcement will be issued on Feb 23, with screening and interviews scheduled from April 27 to May 14 in collaboration with the Education Service Commission.
He said the large-scale hiring exercise forms part of the ministry’s early preparations for the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2026–2035 and is also intended to support the voluntary admission of six-year-olds into Year One next year.
“The ministry is committed to ensuring sufficient teaching manpower and enhancing the quality of national education in line with the MADANI government’s agenda,” he said in a statement.
To preserve teaching standards, Mohd Azam said successful candidates will be required to undergo professional training at the ministry’s Teacher Education Institutes across a range of specialisations before being deployed to schools.
“This initiative reflects the MADANI government’s continued commitment to improving the quality of national education for the benefit of Malaysia’s children,” he said. - January 30, 2026