The Ministry of Education Malaysia (MOE) is developing a standard operating procedure (SOP) before allowing private kindergartens to operate again.

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the matter would be announced by Education Minister Dr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin once the SOP was approved.

“The Ministry of Education is preparing the SOP. I understand that the Minister of Education will announce the SOP, when it can open and so on.

"So, let’s wait for the announcement from the Minister of Education," he said at a press conference here today.

Earlier, the media reported that about 10,000 registered private kindergartens across the country had been facing the threat of closing business due to financial difficulties since the Movement Control Order (MCO) began in March.

They were reportedly worried that the fate of the sector was still unclear as they were not yet allowed to operate.

In a similar development, Ismail Sabri said the ministry was expected to announce the SOP on the opening of tuition centres in the near future.

"I understand the Ministry of Education is preparing the SOP for tuition centres. Insya-Allah, it will be soon,” he added.