Menteri besar Aminuddin Harun said the Year 1 pupils next year would comprise 16,346 seven-year-olds and an estimated 16,019 six-year olds, Berita Harian reported.

“The actual number of classrooms needed is still under review by the Negeri Sembilan education department,” he was quoted as saying.

He added that schools in urban areas such as Seremban and parts of Port Dickson would likely be affected by a surge of students.

On Jan 20, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that preschool education would begin at age five, while Year 1 would begin at age six, starting next year. Early enrolment is voluntary.

Last night, Aminuddin expressed hope that the education ministry would consider the department’s request for between 3,000 and 6,000 additional teachers to ensure the smooth implementation of the policy.

Separately, he announced that female civil servants in the state would be allowed to leave work earlier at 2pm every Friday throughout the fasting month.

He said the arrangement would apply only to employees under the state secretariat office, local authorities and state statutory bodies.

“On Fridays, they will work until 2pm. After the men come back from prayers, they go home,” he said, adding that the ruling would involve approximately 2,496 female civil servants in the state.

Aminuddin also said that special financial assistance amounting to RM17 million would be distributed to 57,000 federal government employees in the state on March 14, ahead of Aidilfitri.