TO achieve world-class education, Malaysia is embarking on a targeted reform agenda focusing on “cases for change”.
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the goal is to ensure all remaining objectives of the Malaysia Education Blueprint (PPPM) 2013-2025 are met within the stipulated timeframe.
With about a year to go until the end of the blueprint, the ministry has launched a reform agenda to solidify the country’s efforts towards achieving global education standards.
The reform plan focuses on six main areas: curriculum intervention, mastery of Bahasa Malaysia (BM) and the English language, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, technical and vocational education and training (TVET), digital education, and preschool education alignment.
The PPPM 2013-2025, said Fadhlina, has laid a strong foundation for transforming the education system by aiming to achieve five “system aspirations”: access, quality, equity, unity and efficiency, as well as the following student aspirations: knowledge, thinking skills, leadership skills, bilingual skills, ethics and spirituality, and national identity.
The reform agenda, therefore, aims to further enhance efforts to meet the global education standards outlined in the existing blueprint, she said.
To achieve this, several “cases for change” require immediate action, namely:
> Students who fall behind in their learning;
> The lack of uniformity in the quality of education between government agency kindergartens and preschools;
> Low student interest in STEM at the upper secondary level;
> Limited student access to the ministry’s TVET fields;
> Student language literacy skills that do not meet international assessment standards; and
> Student digital competency skills that are only at a basic level, as indicated by the Students’ Digital Competency Scores (DCS).
Six task forces have been established to carry out the reform, said Fadhlina, with each in charge of a specific “case for change” to achieve the key performance indicators identified in the PPPM.
The Education director general is responsible for overseeing the overall implementation of the education reform agenda and will report directly to Fadhlina.
No student left behind
First, to tackle the issue of students dropping out or falling behind in their learning, the ministry has developed the Primary School Standard Curriculum (KSSR) Alignment Document (Revision 2017) Edition 3 as an option for primary school teachers to implement the curriculum.
Lower primary science, mathematics, BM and English teachers have the additional option of combining this document with the KSSR Standard Curriculum and Assessment Document (Revision 2017) and the Level I Guidance Modules (MOBIM) for these subjects to plan content delivery methods that suit their classes.
Classroom-based assessment (PBD) reporting has also been made more parent-friendly and easier to understand, with clearer definitions for each mastery level descriptor in the Integrated Assessment Management System (SPPB).
As for the Academic Session Final Test (UASA) mastery level system, reporting is now done using a percentage and grade structure.
To ensure all preschool institutions meet national quality standards, the ministry conducts continuous monitoring using the National Preschool Quality Standard (SKPK) 2.0 assessment instrument.
All preschools – including National Unity and Integration Department (JPNIN) kindergartens, Community Development Department (KEMAS) kindergartens, and private kindergartens registered with the ministry – are implementing the SKPK 2.0 self-assessment, which evaluates teachers and teacher assistants/student management assistants; health, nutrition and safety; administration; curriculum; and parent/guardian and community Involvement.
Overall, there has been an improvement in the quality of preschools assessed using the SKPK 2.0, with scores of 84.91% for preschools under the ministry, 81.09% for private preschools, 77.33% for JPNIN preschools and 76.03% for KEMAS preschools.
Strong push for STEM, TVET
As the ministry continues to strive to build knowledgeable and skilled human capital keen on STEM, a strategic partnership with the PETRONAS Foundation has been established to set up three STEM hubs in Selangor, Terengganu and Sarawak.
The ministry has also partnered with the Penang Science Cluster (PSC) to open STEM hubs in two more states: Perak and Penang.
In addition, 367 teacher activity centres (GK), 15 education resource and technology sectors (SSTP), and education resource divisions (BSTP) comprising Digital Maker Hubs and digital studios, have been designated as Centres of Excellence (CoE).
To upskill teachers, the ministry allocated RM100,000 for STEM teachers to join the 2024 Program Pembudayaan STEM (STEM Cultivation Programme), which is being piloted in 10 schools.
The ministry has also teamed up with the PETRONAS Foundation to implement the Program Duta Guru (Teacher Ambassador Programme) for STEM teachers in schools where the majority of students are from the B40 community.
A total of 4,500 teachers are involved in the programme, which uses the “integrated STEM education” method.
“The implementation of integrated STEM education by teachers in the teaching and learning process will increase students’ higher-order thinking skills and subsequently produce problem-solving, future-proof generations,” said Fadhlina.
The TVET sector, another focus of the ministry, has resulted in many vocational colleges increasing their enrolment, achieving high employability rates and winning awards.
Language proficiency
Since 2024, the ministry has established the Sahabat Bahasa (Language Friends) mentoring programme to cultivate and foster the implementation of BM and English activities among ministry staff, including students and the rakyat.
The programme aims to ensure all ministry staff, and students in particular, master the knowledge, skills, values and ethics of communication.
In terms of digital education, the ministry has launched the Advanced Integrated Nilam System (AINS), which is an interactive digital reading recording system featuring attractive elements such as games, assessments and reading material suggestions, and allowing students to earn redeemable reward points to encourage reading.
As of June, AINS has recorded more than five million students reading a total of 2,181,809 materials.
Fadhlina expressed hope that the reform agenda will help the ministry achieve the targets of the PPPM 2013-2025.
“The success of the education reform will provide a better basis for planning the ministry’s new education blueprint,” she said, adding that the ministry has already begun conducting engagement sessions and syndications with stakeholders to develop the future blueprint.
“This is part of our efforts to produce Malaysians who are knowledgeable, virtuous, responsible, skilled, and capable of achieving personal well-being while contributing to the harmony and prosperity of their families, society, and the nation,” she concluded.
