Education minister Fadhlina Sidek said the number of preschool classes is increased every year to boost the enrolment to 90%, thus preventing student dropout.

She said there are currently 9,909 preschool classes nationwide, with more than 200,000 students enrolled. These include 119 classes which were opened last year.

“We increase the number of preschool classes every year because of the high demand and also to ensure more children get free (preschool) education, especially those with special needs,” she said.

She was met by reporters after opening a programme involving the community development department’s (Kemas) kindergartens in Bayan Lepas near here today.

Fadhlina said the education ministry also provides the preschool food aid (BMP) initiative for all preschool students to help overcome the issue of malnutrition and multi-dimensional poverty.

“It is also closely related to the school dropout narrative based on the enrolment at the preschool level. We need to take another step to ensure that their entry into schools is meaningful,” she said.

Yesterday, Fadhlina said the ministry had set up a special task force to streamline and standardise preschool reforms in the country.

She was reported to have said the education ministry’s agenda was to ensure that the curriculum and also preschool-related issues, in terms of learning and syllabus, can be coordinated under the ministry.