Year 4, Form 3 Learning Assessments From 2026, 2027 - PM Anwar

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 20 (Bernama) -- The government will introduce a new approach to learning assessment in primary and secondary schools through the implementation of the Malaysia Learning Matrix, starting with the Year Four Learning Measurement in 2026 and the Form Three Learning Measurement in 2027, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He said that at the primary school level, the Year Four Learning Measurement will be implemented from 2026, covering four core subjects: Bahasa Melayu, English, Mathematics and Science.

The Form Three Learning Measurement will be introduced from 2027, covering five main subjects: Bahasa Melayu, English, Mathematics, Science and History.

According to Anwar, both assessments will be centrally administered by the Examination Board as part of efforts to build a more comprehensive national education assessment system focused on students’ mastery of learning.

“This approach aims to identify students’ mastery levels earlier, allowing more targeted interventions to improve the quality of education,” he said at the launch of the National Education Blueprint (RPN) 2026-2035 here today.

Anwar also announced a restructuring of the age of entry into the country’s formal education system, with preschool set to begin at age five and Year One at age six, effective from 2027, subject to parents’ readiness.

He said the move is in line with efforts to strengthen children’s learning readiness from an early stage, while supporting more balanced development of students’ potential.

“In the past, children were eligible to enter school at the age of seven. But now, even at the age of five, our children are showing different levels of maturity, in line with changing times and demands.

“That is why, starting in 2027, we are introducing the option of earlier entry, without making it compulsory, as there may still be parents who feel their children are not yet ready,” he said.

He added that the government will retain eligibility for entry into Year One at the age of seven, but encourages parents who are ready to send their children to preschool as early as five.

At the same time, he said the government has allocated RM100 million to upgrade staff rooms nationwide after noting that more than 30 per cent of them are currently in uncomfortable and unsafe conditions.

Anwar said attention is also being given to teachers’ working environments, as these have a direct impact on the well-being and motivation of educators in carrying out their duties.

He also reaffirmed the MADANI government’s commitment to continue strengthening the national education ecosystem in a comprehensive manner, covering curriculum, assessment, infrastructure and teachers’ welfare, in order to produce a knowledgeable and competitive generation.

The new education blueprint launched by the Prime Minister today involves two ministries, namely the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE).

Earlier, in a Facebook post, Anwar said the blueprint is an education reform aimed at building a fairer, more competitive future for children, grounded in values, so that they have the opportunity to build meaningful and dignified lives.

The RPN is jointly led by MOHE through the Malaysian Higher Education Blueprint (RPTM) 2026-2035 and MOE through the Malaysian Education Blueprint (RPM) 2026-2035.

The integrated implementation of the RPTM 2026-2035 and RPM 2026-2035 under the RPN 2026-2035 reflects a comprehensive and phased alignment of national education policy, ensuring continuity in human capital development from the school level to higher education.

Previously, the government allocated RM66.2 billion to MOE under Budget 2026.

The allocation represents an increase from the previous year, aimed at strengthening education with a focus on school infrastructure, assistance for poor students (including RM150 in Early Schooling Assistance for all 5.2 million students), supplementary food programmes, early childhood education, as well as teacher development and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), with an emphasis on education system reform.

-- BERNAMA