Kuala Lumpur: The proposed amendments to the Education Act 1996 (Act 550) aim to make secondary education compulsory and prioritize advocacy and awareness to ensure student attendance, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek announced. Legal action against parents who neglect to send their children to school will only be considered as a last resort.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, during the Second Meeting of the Fourth Session of the 15th Parliament, the government plans to table the bill, ensuring all necessary educational facilities, access, and assistance are provided. The amendments emphasize advocacy and shared responsibility among the government, communities, and parents.

Fadhlina highlighted the government’s experience with compulsory primary education, where advocacy, awareness, and community responsibility were prioritized alongside the provision of educational facilities and aid. Legal action would only follow if parents continue to neglect their children’s education.

Initiatives like the Ziarah Cakna programme have been instrumental in identifying students who have dropped out of the education system. Fadhlina noted that student attendance data helps the Ziarah Cakna team address absenteeism and enhance parental awareness.

Economic challenges contributing to absenteeism were addressed by Fadhlina, who emphasized that education in Malaysia is free, with various assistance schemes available to support students from low-income families.

Education Ministry director-general Datuk Azman Adnan explained that the bill introduces amendments to Sections 2 (Clause 2) and 29A (Clause 3) to expand compulsory education to secondary levels. A new provision, Section 32A (Clause 4), designates secondary education as compulsory, aligning the bill with the Ministry of Education’s efforts to address student dropouts and support B40 groups under the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025.