KUALA LUMPUR - Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the government’s decision to allow voluntary entry into Year One at the age of six, starting next year, should not be viewed negatively.
He stressed that the initiative must be seen as part of efforts to improve the quality of national education, particularly by giving children earlier exposure to schooling.
“For example, in most countries around the world, children begin Year One at the age of six. When we do it here, it becomes an issue — some party people say children are not ready at six, that they should learn the Quran first, and so on.
“I want to explain why we are introducing this change starting next year. This year, if our children are five years old, we send them earlier to preschool so that they are ready after one year,” he said when speaking at the opening of the Guar Kepah Archaeological Gallery in Kepala Batas today.
Anwar added that with opportunities and early exposure, children can become smarter students and help elevate the nation’s standing.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister said the Guar Kepah Archaeological Gallery should be fully utilised through programmes and activities to attract both domestic and international tourists.
He said the gallery must also serve as a platform to spark interest among young people in history, archaeology, arts and culture.
Anwar further suggested that, with cooperation from the state government, the surrounding area of the gallery could be expanded to maximise local potential.
The Guar Kepah Archaeological Gallery is a modern facility built on the site of a prehistoric shell midden excavation, transforming an important archaeological discovery into a dynamic public heritage asset.
The gallery was developed through a strategic collaboration led by the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER), Universiti Sains Malaysia and the Penang Chief Minister’s Corporation.
Also present were Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir, Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar. — January 24, 2026
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