Secondary schooling up to Form 5 may be made compulsory
THE Cabinet has given its preliminary approval to make secondary education compulsory, says Fadhlina Sidek.
The Education Minister said this would be an extension of the compulsory primary education policy, which has been in effect since 2003, involving significant amendments to the Education Act 1996 (Act 550).
“A draft of the Education (Amendment) Bill concerning the extension from primary to secondary education has been prepared by the Education Ministry and is currently under review by the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC),” she said in a parliamentary written reply to Nurul Amin Hamid (PN-Padang Terap) yesterday.
Nurul Amin had asked the ministry about its stance on recommendations by experts to make a 12-year education compulsory to address student dropout rates.
“The proposed extension of compulsory education is a strategic move to ensure that all children are given the opportunity to achieve their full potential through a well-structured education system,” Fadhlina said.
She added that the government is committed to providing education that aligns with the developmental needs of students at each educational stage, from primary to secondary.
In March last year, the ministry submitted a draft proposal to the AGC to make secondary school education compulsory.
The present education policy states that under the Education Act, education is compulsory only up to Year Six.
Engagement sessions were also held as part of the process of formulating the new blueprint, which will replace the current Malaysia Education Blueprint 2012-2025.
