IPOH (Jan 30): The Ministry of Education (MOE) is making early preparations to ensure schools are operationally ready for the intake of Year One pupils under the "double cohort" situation next year. Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh said the "double cohort" involves the simultaneous enrolment of six- and seven-year-old children into Year One, and that the ministry has begun early planning, including school operations, teacher placement and classroom facilities. “This issue is a concern for all parties, but MOE planning has started early, particularly in terms of teacher availability and facilities at schools nationwide. He said the MOE is also identifying schools facing classroom shortages, particularly overcrowded schools, and will construct additional classrooms using the Industrialised Building System (IBS). “We have data on overcrowded schools, but schools that were previously not overcrowded also need to be reassessed to ensure facilities remain adequate,” he said.

Source: The Edge Markets January 30, 2026 04:43 UTC