Coverage for preschool education has improved dramatically over the last decades from 17 percent of 4 to 6 years old in 1981 to more than 65 percent in 2008. With the introduction of the new national preschool curriculum in 2003, Malaysian preschools are now working towards an enhanced early childhood education programs. Trends in Malaysian early childhood education have followed closely with the development of Malaysia’s nation-building policies.
From 2004 to 2006, the number of kindergartens has increased from 3,516 to 7,761 with CAGR of 48.6 %. It is expected that by year 2020, Malaysia will need more than 18,000 kindergartens.
