JANUARY 28 — Singapore’s Compulsory Education Act 2002 (CEA) is an Act of Parliament to provide for compulsory primary education in Singapore.

The CEA was passed on October 9, 2000, but came into force only on January 1, 2003.

Under the CEA, compulsory education is for a child of compulsory school age who is (a) born after 1 January 1996; (b) a citizen of Singapore; and (c) residing in Singapore.

A “child of compulsory school age” means a child above the age of six who has not yet attained the age of 15 and who satisfies such conditions for receiving primary education as the Director‑General of Education may determine.

“Primary education” means a six-year course of education normally commencing when a child has attained the age of six.

When read together, the above means compulsory education is for a child who has attained the age of six — the same age for compulsory education in Malaysia under the Education Act 1996 (Act 550).

However, since the CEA commenced only on January 1, 2003, the first cohort of compulsory education were pupils who were seven years old. This explains why Singapore children are said to typically start formal education at age seven.

Singapore took two years to be ready for compulsory education to start at age seven.

The Madani government, however, proposed to allow Malaysian children to start primary education at the age of six in 2027.

That’s one year from now.

Despite the fact that the country has had time and space to prepare for primary education to start at age six, will it be ready to have the first cohort of pupils who are six years old in 2027?

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said preparations were being expedited, with the Ministries of Education, Finance and Economy having been directed to take immediate action to ensure basic facilities “are enhanced”.

Still, in all honesty, the question to ask is: are we ready?

Why not implement the proposal and enforce compulsory primary education for all children of age six starting in 2028?

We will then have two years to be ready for compulsory primary education at age six, killing three birds with one stone, that is:

• Our children are not discriminated against.
• Our primary education is aligned with international education standards.
• Our law which says that primary education can start at age six is aligned with practice.

What say you, PMX?

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.