‘2024 school session unlikely in January’

KUALA LUMPUR: The next school session in 2024 may not begin in January due to several technicalities, says Fadhlina Sidek.

The Education Minister said the proposal to restore the school academic calendar could not be implemented next year as it was necessary to complete various requirements under the Education Act 1996.

“We will look into proposals to restore the schooling year back to January, but this cannot be implemented next year.

“The change in the school academic calendar also needs to take into account local economic factors and year-end floods, in addition to not disrupting the exam schedule for SPM, STPM and Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia,” she said when responding to Yeo Bee Yin’s (PH-Puchong) written question, who asked whether there were plans to revert the beginning of the academic session to January, during Question Time in Parliament yesterday.

According to Fadhlina, schooling sessions in 2021 and 2022 were extended due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The extension allows schools to plan and implement recovery activities to better prepare the students for the next schooling year.” she added.

Fadhlina also said the schooling session for the 2023/2024 academic year was maintained in March next year to ensure the ministry abides by the requirement of having no less than 190 schooling days in an academic year.