Mariani Nor, the acting vice-chancellor of Segi University, said the proposal was among seven resolutions she presented at the Bumiputera Education Congress held here today.

She said currently, there are various categories of government preschools and private kindergartens, which adopted different curricula, despite comprehensive discussions having been conducted during the development of the national preschool curriculum.

“Why not standardise the curriculum and eliminate the ‘caste’ in preschool education?” she said when speaking on a panel on Empowering Preschool Education.

Mariani also suggested that the government elevate the status of preschool teachers to that of the formal profession of teaching, comparable to education systems abroad, where the teaching career is highly regarded, with qualifications extending to the doctoral level.

Other resolutions proposed by Mariani include continuous monitoring of teachers’ competencies and strengthening parental support systems, especially for children requiring special attention.

“Therefore, there is a need to enhance early intervention systems so that these children can be identified at an early stage, enabling us to guide them in the same way as other children,” she said.

She also proposed the implementation of integrated education through the use of information technology while emphasising an inclusive and high-quality learning environment.