Kuala lumpur: 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.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Zambry emphasized the importance of not betraying this duty by becoming complacent or merely 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 stated during the opening of the 2026 Bumiputera Education Congress. The event, marking UMNO's 80th anniversary, gathered over 5,000 academics, professionals, and students.

Zambry, who is also Barisan Nasional's secretary-general, highlighted that education serves as more than just a vehicle for social mobility; it offers the nation an opportunity to reflect on its global position in an ever-evolving world. He stressed the importance of addressing education gaps from early childhood rather than postponing them until university, as a nation's strength is rooted in the quality of its knowledge and values.

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

Zambry also noted that the findings from the congress would be crafted into a national resolution for adoption as a priority by top government leaders within the National Education Council. The congress concentrated on various educational strategies, including mainstreaming tahfiz streams, enhancing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), advancing early childhood education, and developing an education waqf model to support the Bumiputera agenda.