Media statement by DAP Assistant National Publicity Secretary on January 9, 2015

According to , as of the end of 2011, around 77% of children aged 4+ to 5+ were enrolled in some form of preschool education. The target of our Government is to drive the enrolments to 92% in registered preschools by 2015 and 99% by 2020.

In order to achieve the target, billions of ringgit was allocated for preschool education in our yearly budgets.

In the year 2010, allocation for preschool education was merely RM196 million. The allocation was increased to RM 249 million in 2011 and further ballooned to RM439 million and RM488 million in 2012 and 2013 respectively. As for 2014 and 2015, the allocation for preschool education is RM 483 million and RM475 million.

In total, our government has spent RM2.33 billion in preschool education since 2010.

However, the answer from Minister of Education in Parliament raises the question as to whether the allocation has been distributed and utilized fairly and justly.

In a written answer provided by Minister of Education, he mentioned that there were 8898 preschool classes in Malaysia as at 2014 and among which, 8120 classes or 91.25% were set in national school (Sekolah Kebangsaan), while 556 classes were set in SJKC and 222 classes were set in SJKT.

Currently there are 5863 national schools and 1294 SJKC and 523 SJCT in our country. In other words, in average, every national school has 1.38 preschool class while SJKC and SJKT only have 0.43 and 0.42 class respectively.

We support the effort to drive the enrolment in preschool to 100%. However, BN government has a duty to ensure public funds are being utilized fairy to ensure children from different background have the same opportunity to receive preschool and early education.