Its minister Fadhlina Sidek said the expansion was based on the requests, needs and capacity of the MOE's commitment.
"It is in our direction to expand preschools under the MOE institutions. The MOE preschool is free and we want parents to choose it.
"The early nature of this preschool is to prevent dropouts and to carry out early intervention. It will happen rapidly because we will make it mandatory in all MOE institutions and in all 27 IPGs," she said at a press conference after officiating the PERMATA Youth Entrepreneurship Carnival at the Sri Pantai People's Housing Project (PPR) here.
She said a total of 129 preschool classes were added this year, making the total number 9,909 across the country to give more children the opportunity to get an education at an early stage.
Earlier, the two-day PERMATA Youth Entrepreneurship Carnival which started today was attended by 250 participants.
Commenting on the carnival, Fadhlina said that it was organised to practise continuous education, especially for teenagers of B40 to ensure that none of them drop out in pursuit of excellence in life.
The integrated strategy between the PERMATA Remaja Program and the Youth Empowerment Centre (PERKASA) of UKM, over the past 14 years has successfully served 8,396 youth in the PPR area around Kuala Lumpur.
Of that number, 20 per cent have gone on to higher education institutes, 75 per cent have obtained employment or started their own businesses while the rest are still in school. A total of 12 alumni were appointed as programme instructors.
In another development, Fadhlina said MOE will provide appropriate counseling and assistance to Attar Azim Syukran Jamil, 9 who lost four family members including his parents in an accident at Kilometre (KM) 76.5 of Jalan Kota Bharu-Gua Musang near Kampung Pahi in Kuala Krai. Kelantan, last Saturday.
-- BERNAMA
