PUTRAJAYA: Parents do not need to panic about the implementation of a standardised national assessment for Year Four and Form Three students or that children will begin Year One at the age of six.
The new Malaysian Learning Matrix assessments is designed to assess a student’s capabilities and facilitate timely intervention before they complete primary school or take their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examinations, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said.
The assessments, administered by the Examinations Board instead of the schools, aim to strengthen and support the new school curriculum, which begins next year, she added.
“Don’t panic because we have time. It is not an examination system that will pressure our children. This is not a high-stakes examination,” she said after the launch of the National Education Plan 2026-2035 yesterday.
She also said the Examinations Board will administer the assessments to instil public confidence.
“This learning matrix is much better than Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) and Pentaksiran Tingkatan 3 (PT3) because its scope improves (on the past exams) and the focus is specifically on four subjects as well as intervention,” she said.
During the launch, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Year Four students will be sitting for the test this October, covering four subjects – Bahasa Melayu, English, Science and Mathematics.
For Form Three students, History will be added, and the testing will begin next year.
Anwar also said children in Malaysia will begin preschool at the age of five and enter Year One at six starting in 2027.
Fadhlina reiterated that parents have a choice to start primary school earlier for their child, but it will be subject to the ministry’s diagnostic assessments that covers all aspects, including mastery of preschool subjects and their mental preparedness.
She also noted that the ministry would be carrying out studies to determine infrastructure needs for when more children start entering Year One.
Currently, children begin primary school when they turn seven.
“We see that the potential (of these children) must be mobilised by providing them earlier educational opportunities,” she said, adding that if the child is ready, they can start schooling earlier.
This would also mean the child will sit for their SPM at the age of 16, she added.
Anwar also announced that Malaysian students in all different education systems, be they private, international, government, religious or others, must now sit for the SPM Bahasa Melayu and History exams.
“This is the best time for us to focus all our energy, efforts and commitment to continue to elevate ‘bangsa Malaysia’ in the context of harmony and unified identity through BM and also History,” said Fadhlina.
Her ministry, she said, would help these schools implement the national school curriculum.
She said the new National Education Plan 2026-2035, encompassing all levels from preschool to university, outlines a comprehensive learning journey.
The plan is made up of two main blueprints – the Malaysia Higher Education Blueprint 2026-2035 and the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2026-2035.
The Malaysia Education Blueprint 2026-2035, she said, also tackles “unfinished business” from the last education blueprint.
