Don't Betray Bumiputera Education Duty With Complacency, Urges Zambry

KUALA LUMPUR, May 1 (Bernama) -- Bumiputera education's future needs bold political commitment to ensure public investment yields fair returns, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said.

He said all parties must avoid resting on statistical achievements alone and instead focus on the quality of human capital to make the Bumiputera education agenda effective.

"Don't betray this duty by getting complacent or settling for numbers on paper. We have a moral duty to future generations, to leave them with a much better education system than the one we inherited," he said.

He spoke at the opening of the 2026 Bumiputera Education Congress, bringing together over 5,000 academics, professionals and students for UMNO's 80th anniversary celebrations here today.

Zambry, Barisan Nasional's secretary-general, said education goes beyond social mobility as it is a chance for the nation to reflect on its position in a fast-changing world.

He said education gaps must be tackled from early childhood onwards, not left until university, because a nation's strength lies in the quality of its knowledge and values.

"Real education creates not just smart thinkers but people who grasp responsibility, values and civilisation. We aim to build Bumiputera generations strong in knowledge, skills, creativity, confidence and moral character," he said.

Zambry added that the congress findings would be shaped into a national resolution for top government leaders to adopt as a priority in the National Education Council.

The congress focused on mainstreaming tahfiz streams, boosting Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), early childhood education and creating an education waqf model to sustain the Bumiputera agenda.

-- BERNAMA