Bangsa Johor KEMAS Kindergarten becomes Malaysia’s first community preschool to adopt English-medium teaching and digital learning for early education.
JOHOR BAHRU: The Bangsa Johor KEMAS Kindergarten (TKBJ) has become the first community kindergarten in Malaysia to integrate English-medium instruction and digital learning into its early childhood education programme.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the initiative marks a progressive step towards modernising the country’s early childhood education system and making it more competitive.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, said the approach complements the Johor Government’s efforts to nurture a future generation equipped with stronger skills, digital literacy and the competencies needed for 21st-century education.
“TKBJ is the only kindergarten of its kind in the country. Its uniqueness lies not only in the Bangsa Johor identity, but also in its curriculum, pedagogy and teaching methods, which differ from those of other KEMAS kindergartens nationwide.
“The teaching of the Quran remains a priority without compromise. What sets TKBJ apart is its strong emphasis on English language proficiency and the use of modern technology in teaching and learning, which is no longer confined to whiteboards but incorporates computer-based technology.
“More importantly, the project is fully funded by the Johor Government, not KEMAS,” he said at the TKBJ Leadership-Parents Engagement Session here today, which was also attended by Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, and Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for Larkin, Mohd Hairi Mad Shah.
Meanwhile, Onn Hafiz said the Johor Government has allocated RM3.6 million for the initiative as part of its efforts to strengthen early childhood education under the state’s human capital development agenda.
The programme covers five premises across four locations, two in Johor Bahru and two in Pasir Gudang, which house a total of seven classrooms.
The menteri besar said the initiative forms part of the Sekolah Rintis Bangsa Johor (SRBJ) ecosystem, an initiative introduced by the Regent of Johor to ensure children’s education is nurtured from an early age through a more structured and holistic approach.
“The RM3.6 million allocation covers infrastructure upgrades, teacher training and enhancements to the learning syllabus across five premises comprising seven TKBJ classrooms,” he said.
He added that the programme also reflects close collaboration between the Johor Government and the Rural and Regional Development Ministry through the Community Development Department (KEMAS) to enhance early childhood education in the state.
