Kuala lumpur: The Parliamentary Select Committee on Women, Children and Community Development has emphasized the need for Malaysia to establish a specific Act and a single agency to regulate the early childhood care and education (ECCE) sector, highlighting its importance for the nation's human capital development.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the committee's chairman, Yeo Bee Yin (PH-Puchong), noted that the ECCE sector in Malaysia remains underdeveloped in terms of policy, governance, and funding when compared to other sectors like primary and secondary education, higher education, and vocational training. Yeo pointed out that Malaysia lacks a comprehensive policy or specific Act governing the ECCE sector and mentioned the overlapping functions among various agencies as a significant issue.
During a briefing session on the DR.17/2025 Statement concerning the ECCE sector in the Dewan Rakyat, Yeo revealed that the committee conducted 13 engagement sessions to compile a comprehensive report. This included collaboration with various departments, experts, universities, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and involved a working visit to Singapore to study its ECCE model. She proposed establishing a dedicated agency akin to Singapore's Early Childhood Development Authority (ECDA) to take full responsibility for the ECCE sector's regulation and development.
Yeo identified several challenges facing the ECCE sector, including complex and inconsistent licensing procedures for childcare centers and kindergartens, a shortage of qualified personnel, and financial strain on private operators offering affordable fees. She noted that bureaucratic hurdles in obtaining premises and business registration often led to low registration rates for private childcare centers and kindergartens compared to the actual number operating in the country.
Concerns were also raised about the disparity in the quality of ECCE education and facilities between urban and rural areas and between public and private sector providers. Among the key recommendations put forward were the establishment of a National Early Childhood Care and Education Council, provision of annual grants for non-profit private operators, and setting up more public ECCE premises. Additionally, the committee proposed standardizing qualification and certification requirements for early education teachers across all agencies and increasing preschool food aid allocation in Sabah and Sarawak to RM5 per capita daily.
Yeo emphasized the vital role of early childhood education in shaping the future of individuals and the nation, stating the goal is to ensure no child is left behind and every child in Malaysia achieves holistic development, irrespective of race, religion, or socio-economic background.
Meanwhile, Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Ramli Mohd Noor suggested that recommendations made by the special select committees, as well as proposals raised by Members of Parliament during debates, should be submitted as motions for relevant ministers to respond to. He highlighted the importance of clarity on whether these recommendations would be adopted as government policy, urging committee chairmen to propose responses from relevant ministers and ministries to ensure a clear understanding of the acceptance of these recommendations.