Malaysian Education Blueprint Success Hinges On Thorough Implementation - Nurul Izzah

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 22 (Bernama) -- With the Malaysian Education Blueprint (RPM) 2026-2035 set to chart a path to transform Malaysia’s education landscape, its success depends on thorough implementation and continuous stakeholder engagement, PKR Deputy President Nurul Izzah Anwar said.

She said the early education policy reform, which introduces voluntary registration for Year One at the age of six, must take into account disparities in infrastructure and teacher readiness between regions, particularly in rural and interior areas as well as in Sabah and Sarawak.

“The voluntary transition has the potential to create a surge in student numbers in a short period. Without approaches tailored to local contexts, the risk of inequality in access to and quality of early education is likely to continue widening,” she said in a statement today.

Despite the challenges, Nurul Izzah said the early education policy aligns with global education practices, placing Malaysia alongside 143 countries that have long adopted similar approaches.

She said that early exposure to a structured learning environment would allow for targeted interventions, facilitate the identification of developmental needs, and equip children for lifelong learning.

Nurul Izzah added the policy is expected to ease the burden of rising childcare costs for working parents.

She also said that early exposure to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in primary schools was crucial to address the phenomenon of “the lost boys”.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported in 2023 that the phenomenon has led to a gender gap, with female students completing secondary education at higher rates than male students.

“Early exposure to TVET in primary and secondary schools not only lays a foundation of skills, but also sparks students’ interest from an early age and ensures continuity of the curriculum to the workplace in line with industry needs,” Nurul Izzah said.

In addition, she said the decision to place the pre-university education system, including Form Six and matriculation, under the Ministry of Higher Education beginning 2027 was a step forward for long-term planning.

Nurul Izzah said the change would enable public university placements to be more inclusive, ensuring effective utilisation of available resources and talent.

--BERNAMA