KUCHING: More than 690 early childhood educators across Sarawak have completed training for the new Kurikulum Prasekolah 2026 (KP2026) through a series of programmes hosted by Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus.
The sessions were organised in collaboration with the Association of Kindergarten Operators (AKO) and endorsed by the Ministry of Education Malaysia to strengthen preschool readiness ahead of the national rollout of KP2026 for private preschools.
Two major training sessions were held at Swinburne’s Kuching campus on Nov 29 to 30, 2025 and Jan 17 to 18, 2026, drawing more than 192 and 330 educators respectively.
Another session in Miri on Dec 6 to 7, 2025 gathered over 168 participants from northern Sarawak.
The training focused on helping educators transition from subject-based teaching to competency-based learning, with emphasis on holistic child development under the theme Insan Sejahtera, which nurtures children emotionally, intellectually, spiritually, physically and socially.
Participants explored digital literacy, values and character education, socioemotional development, language and literacy, creativity and cognitive skills through demonstrations, group discussions and hands-on activities.
Lecturer in Early Childhood Education Dr Alicia Lim said supporting the rollout reflects Swinburne Sarawak’s commitment to industry-university collaboration.
“By working closely with sector partners and opening our campus to large-scale professional learning, we support educators during a critical curriculum transition while ensuring our academic programmes remain aligned with national priorities,” she said.
Meanwhile, AKO president Jason Kong said hosting these sessions reflects Swinburne Sarawak’s commitment to community engagement and national education priorities.
“The strong turnout across Kuching and Miri shows the sector’s readiness to embrace the new curriculum and strengthen the quality of preschool education in Sarawak,” he said.
The training series coincided with AKO’s recognition as a KP2026 training provider in Sarawak, with both organisations planning further initiatives to support preschools during the transition.
