BUDGET 2025 underscores the government’s priority to enhance access to quality education, particularly for the underprivileged.
This will ensure that all students can thrive in school regardless of their socioeconomic backgrounds, said Teach For Malaysia (TFM) chief executive officer Chan Soon Seng.
Nina
Commending the government for its “significant investments” to enhance the education system, he said the increase in allocations for direct assistance aimed at low-income families, such as the RMT programme and KWAPM, will help enable and encourage more students to attend school.
“We applaud the focus on ensuring that resources are allocated to students with the most need,” he said, adding that the funds for upgrading and maintaining schools nationwide, as well as additional rural school assistance, will improve students’ learning environments and help address disparities in resources and opportunities.
“However, it is crucial to ensure these infrastructure-related funds are used efficiently, with minimal leakages, and that projects are completed in a timely manner,” he said.
Welcoming the significant increase in development funds for preschool education, he said closing learning gaps early, before primary school, is essential for improving educational outcomes and promoting equity.
“Expanding access to quality early childhood care is a positive move, and we recommend that the government consider making pre-primary education compulsory and free for at least one year to achieve universal preschool enrolment.” he added.
Quality teachers
The real leverage for improving educational outcomes lies in enhancing teaching quality, Chan said, stressing the importance of attracting top talent to the teaching profession by making it more appealing, and continuously supporting teachers to ensure students receive the best education possible.
“As the quality of an education system cannot exceed the quality of its teachers, the increase in allocation for supporting teacher capacity building is a step in the right direction,” he said, adding that TFM commends the increase in the living allowance for Institut Pendidikan Guru (IPG) teacher trainees, along with the previously announced salary adjustments for all civil servants, including teachers.
“Additionally, TFM applauds the increase in budget allocation for both pre-service and in-service teacher training.
“There is nearly a two-fold increase in allocations directed towards institutions focused on teacher development, namely, IPG and Institut Aminuddin Baki,” Chan said, while lauding the increase in allocation for in-service teacher training from RM14mil in 2024 to RM19.6mil in 2025 – a 40% increase that signals the government’s recognition of its importance.
Chan
“Support for our existing teachers is crucial, as most of those teaching today will remain in the profession for decades to come.
“While the increase is a positive step, the real impact will depend on how effectively these resources are utilised to provide tailored, high-quality continuous professional development (CPD) that meets teachers’ needs, empowering them to be more effective in the classroom,” he said.
As the lion’s share of the RM64.1bil budget is spent on emoluments for the nation’s 420,000 teachers, it makes sense to enhance that spending by supporting them to become more effective, LeapEd Services managing director Nina Adlan Disney said.
“There is no point in improving access if we don’t close the achievement gap.
“This can only be done by turning our attention to what goes on in our schools and in our classrooms and enhancing how teachers teach and how students learn.
“The only way to improve student achievement at scale is to invest in the teachers we already have,” she said, adding that research has shown that in classrooms with the most effective teachers, students from disadvantaged backgrounds learn at the same rate as those from advantaged backgrounds.
The government, she said, is to be congratulated for taking action by launching the Anak Kita learning recovery initiative, which takes a “whole of society” approach with collaboration between the Education and Finance Ministries, universities and a coalition of civil society organisations.
A step forward
Budget 2025 is a significant step forward, reinforcing the government’s commitment to enhancing access to quality education, said Chan.
However, it is essential that reforms are carefully considered not only in terms of funding but also at the policy and implementation levels if we are to see substantial improvements in educational outcomes.
“Many challenges facing our education system require robust solutions that address systemic issues.
“While the budget acts as an enabler, its true impact will be limited without well-designed policies and effective implementation.
“It is crucial that the funds not only reach the ground but are also safeguarded against leakages through continuous efforts to ensure efficient use.
One way the government can ensure high-quality delivery is by leveraging the expertise of private sector and civil society organisations (CSOs) in specific areas, creating more opportunities for collaboration and stronger public-private partnerships.
Budget 2025 will go down in the country’s history as the largest ever allocation for education, and the government must be commended for its continued investment and commitment to the future of our nation, said Nina.
While the focus on access, infrastructure and infostructure is undoubtedly important and is to be applauded, it is critical to ensure our “software” matches our “hardware”, Nina said.
“To achieve the Madani Economy’s high income aspirations, we need to justify wage increases with better talent and increased productivity.
“Beyond economic imperatives, improved educational outcomes yield a multitude of social benefits, such as lower criminal justice costs, lower healthcare costs, greater social cohesion and harmony, and political stability. Therefore, in addition to the physical environment, we need to urgently invest in initiatives that will bring a return in outcomes,” she said.
Nina said investments in education must be accompanied by an outcome-driven approach.
“In many countries, public funding is measured and monitored according to how the services delivered achieve their intended outcomes, to ensure there is a focus on results, not just effort,” she said, adding that Budget 2025 must focus on calibre and capacity-building, by expanding quality professional development opportunities, thereby empowering teachers, school leaders and administrators.
“This will enable greater autonomy to evaluate and report authentically, and thus bring about meaningful change to our system. Only then can our children get the education they deserve and the future generation our country needs,” she said.
*TFM is an independent, not-for-profit organisation on a mission to give all children the opportunity to realise their potential through quality education, while LeapEd is a CSO working towards educational equity and quality.
