Page 120 - FREN-C2021 PROCEEDINGS

Figure 1. Public and Private Preschool Enrolment Rate from 2010 to 2016

Statement of the Problem
Choosing the best preschool for children is a very critical and challenging decision for parents as
preschool education is a basic foundation that will affect children’s future education. Various factors
will influence parent’s behavioural decisions when deciding to send their children to preschool,
especially when it comes to the private preschool. With many types of preschools offered in
Malaysia, it caused difficulty to parents in deciding the best private preschool for their children. There
are many factors that parents take into account when considering sending their children to preschool,
especially the private preschool. Parents will consider all the benefits and achievements, and also the
total cost that they must pay for the preschool (Dahari & Ya, 2011).
Earlier in 2003, the Malaysian Ministry of Education implemented the teaching of Mathematics and
Science in English at the primary and secondary school levels. Due to this, parents had started
searching for preschool that can offer to improve their children’s proficiency in English. Hence, due to
the introduction of this new education system in Malaysia, branded preschools also began to gain
popularity (Dahari & Ya, 2011).

Apart from languages, many other drivers or reasons can influence the private preschool choice
selection among parents. Safety becomes one of the major issues that parents will also consider when
deciding between sending their children to the private preschool due to the increase in numbers of
abuse incidences towards children during the recent years. A study done on 911 parents across
Scotland, as well as on 91 parents in the Glasgow area, showed that parents prioritise the safety and
care of their children above all other factors when choosing a preschool for their children (Foot,
Howe, Cheyne, Terras, & Rattray, 2000). This study is aligned with Sharp and Davis (1997), which
found that the preschool’s reputation and the children’s safety and happiness were the most
influencing factors rather than other practical factors such as operating hours and school fees.

Apart from influencing factors that encourage parents to send their children to a private preschool,
some significant barriers can hinder children from attending schooling. A report from a joint initiative
by UNICEF and UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) for the global Out-of-School Children
Initiative (OOSCI) stated that; most common factors that hinder the children from attending schools
are; poverty, attitude towards education, geographical factors, and lack of documentation (UNICEF
Malaysia, 2019). These are some of the perceived behavioural control that can hinder preschool
enrolment. Perceived behavioural control is “a person’s perception of how easy or difficult it would be

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