Academic Year Begins In Kedah With Focus On Fostering School Community

SUNGAI PETANI, Feb 16 ( Bernama) -- The 2025/2026 academic year commenced smoothly in Kedah today, welcoming back 349,966 students across 548 primary and 204 secondary schools.

This includes 200,575 primary pupils and 149,392 secondary students.

State Education director, Ismail Othman, emphasised that the first week is dedicated to fostering relationships within the school community.

"Today's operations went well, Alhamdulillah. For this initial week, we are not conducting formal teaching sessions. Instead, we are providing space for students and teachers to engage in 'Minggu Silaturahim' (Friendship Week)," he told a press conference at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Bakar Arang here today.

The initiative aims to create a nurturing school environment that encourages regular attendance. Planned activities are designed to positively impact students' social and emotional well-being, enhancing their enthusiasm for learning.

Ismail added that the concept of 'Happy Students, Joyful Teachers, Prosperous Schools, and a Flourishing Nation' has been introduced to ensure that the school community operates in a comfortable and harmonious atmosphere.

The successful start of the school year was facilitated by the dedication of 30,011 teachers and 4,320 support staff across the state.

This focus on relationship-building during the first week aims to establish a welcoming and engaging school environment, setting a positive tone for the remainder of the academic year.

-- BERNAMA