Kuala lumpur: The National Education Blueprint (RPN) 2026-2035, launched yesterday by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, has been described as a reform with the potential to strengthen the country's education system.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) Faculty of Educational Sciences and Technology (FEST) lecturer Assoc Prof Dr Abdul Halim Abdullah stated that the RPN 2026-2035 is a long-term reform spanning from early childhood education to the university level. It serves as a continuation of previous plans forming the national education roadmap for the next 10 years.
On the early admission of six-year-old children into Standard One, Dr Abdul Halim mentioned that pupils would be eligible if they and their parents are prepared to compete with peers a year older through a screening assessment. He explained that previously accelerated classes allowed students to skip from Standard Three to Standard Five. However, this time it involves preschool to Standard One, with challenges centered on teacher implementation as well as continuous monitoring and evaluation.
Commenting on the inclusion of general subjects covering Constitutional issues and Malaysian History in all university curricula from this year, Dr Abdul Halim noted that the move is somewhat drastic, particularly for institutions such as UTM that focus on engineering, science, and technology, due to staffing challenges. Nonetheless, he said the plan appears more structured overall, with the Higher Education Ministry set to take over the pre-university education system comprising Form Six and Matriculation, although the initial transition may pose challenges.
Meanwhile, Parent-Teacher Association (PIBG) president of Sekolah Kebangsaan Tasek Utara, Nazree Daud, 42, expressed optimism over the early entry of six-year-old children into Standard One in 2027. He commented that it would suit pupils who can quickly master the 3M skills and pass diagnostic assessments, while remaining optional for parents who feel their children are not yet ready.