COMMENT | The government has announced that beginning in 2027, children aged six will enter Year One.

The primary justification offered is straightforward: most countries start primary school at six, while Malaysia starts at seven; therefore, we are one year behind and must align ourselves with international norms.

It sounds compelling. It carries a certain urgency, even a familiar anxiety: we must not lose at the starting line; we must keep up with the world.

But are we truly one year behind?

According to World Bank and Unesco data, Malaysia’s official primary school entry age is...