RPN 2026–2035 Seen As Major Long-term Reform

JOHOR BAHRU, Jan 21 (Bernama) --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.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) Faculty of Educational Sciences and Technology (FEST) lecturer Assoc Prof Dr Abdul Halim Abdullah said the RPN 2026–2035 is a long-term reform spanning from early childhood education to the university level and 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, he said pupils would be eligible if they and their parents are prepared to compete with peers a year older through a screening assessment.

“Previously, accelerated classes allowed students to skip from Standard Three to Standard Five, but this time it involves preschool to Standard One, with challenges centred on teacher implementation as well as continuous monitoring and evaluation,” he said when contacted by Bernama today.

Commenting on the inclusion of general subjects covering Constitutional issues and Malaysian History in all university curricula from this year, Abdul Halim described the move as somewhat drastic, particularly for institutions such as UTM that focus on engineering, science and technology, due to staffing challenges.

However, 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, saying 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.

-- BERNAMA