PETALING JAYA: Fifteen-minute sessions, focusing on character formation, will be held across four school days as part of students’ morning routines starting in phases from 2027, says the Education Ministry.
Preschoolers will start next year with character-building integrated into daily learning activities such as play, reading and daily routines, it said, while stressing that the character-building module is not a new subject.
The rollout of the 2027 school curriculum will begin in phases, commencing with Year One and Form One in 2027, the ministry said.
“For primary and secondary schools, the 60 minutes will be carried out as 15-minute sessions across four school days at the beginning of the school period, while one day will remain reserved for the weekly assembly.
“These 15-minute activity sessions will be based on a module focusing on the concept of student character development.
“The programme emphasises teaching and learning activities that cultivate values, positive behaviour, and the practice of good manners and ethics within students’ daily lives,” the ministry added.
It said the module is aimed at nurturing children to develop noble character, courtesy and responsibility.
Meanwhile, the ministry’s curriculum development division director Nooraini Kamaruddin said the character-building programme aims to nurture children to become respectful, responsible and active citizens.
She said every part of the preschool day contributes to moral and social development, even recess and playtime.
“During play, children are taught cooperation and respect.
“During meals, they learn to serve food, clean up and arrange things neatly. Character-building is embedded naturally in daily learning,” she said, adding that the new preschool curriculum will also be used by Kemas, Perpaduan and private kindergartens registered with the ministry.
She also emphasised the shared role of parents, communities and preschool committees in shaping children’s character beyond the classroom.
In 2023, minister Fadhlina Sidek said that character education was one of the main goals of the 2027 school curriculum, which will be implemented from preschool up to Form Five as a designated time slot in the time table, focusing on practical socio-emotional learning.
She said the emphasis on character-building is based on the principles of Rukun Negara and the National Education Philosophy which strives to shape individuals capable of actively contributing to the creation of a prosperous Malaysia.
