KKDW To Improve Early Childhood Education Infrastructure, Autism Support, TVET In Budget 2026

PUTRAJAYA, Sept 2 (Bernama) -- The Rural and Regional Development Ministry (KKDW) is focusing on efforts to enhance the early childhood education infrastructure as well as Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) under Budget 2026.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the infrastructure of the Community Development Department's (KEMAS) Pre-Tahfiz Pre-School (Tabika) and for children with autism are being targeted for improvement through Budget 2026.

"What we are focusing on this year (covers rural development) will be continued, although there are several focus areas that we should look at - one of which is the expansion of the Pre-Tahfiz KEMAS Tabika.

"Currently, there are 10,883 such pre-schools where we have started the memorisation of all 30 juzuk (chapters) of the Quran for our children aged three to six. A total of 125,000 have participated. Insya-Allah, we intend to take the total to 140,000 participants next year,” said Zahid, who is also the Minister of Rural and Regional Development.

He also told reporters after the KKDW monthly gathering here today that the KEMAS teaching staff would be sent to undergo training to enhance their pedagogy (method and practice of teaching).

"We will carry out several transformations. This year, we have started three pre-schools for children with autism in Melaka and, next year, we will set up one in each state. In 2027, we intend to establish one tabika for children with autism in every district.

"TVET, meanwhile, will be further strengthened, particularly TVET under Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) and also agencies under the KKDW,” he said, adding that they have also held dialogue sessions with stakeholders to strengthen the input for Budget 2026.

Earlier in his speech, Ahmad Zahid said that the Rural Transformation through 42 Game Changer initiatives, driven by KKDW, has achieved 64 per cent progress so far.

"From the Desa Kirana initiative, which opens up rural areas to the world of tourism, to Tabika Tunas Istimewa, which offers opportunities to children with autism, right up to the Smart Classroom, which proves that rural children are also capable of keeping up with the digital wave.

"These are all important milestones in the broader roadmap for change,” he said.

-- BERNAMA