PETALING JAYA: The newly launched National Education Plan 2026-2035 must have a clear direction and detailed information if it is to address existing problems in our education system, says Ling Tian Soon.
The MCA Youth chief said the current iteration of the plan, launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Tuesday (Jan 20), had failed to provide a coherent roadmap of the future of education and for the public to understand.
“The plan released by the government is short on clear details or implementation plans for its goals, while the information presented is both vague and disjointed.
“So instead of offering reassurance, it seems to have only deepened public confusion and anxiety while raising even more unanswered questions,” he said in a statement Friday (Jan 23).
Ling stressed that education policies should be anchored in long-term goals and supported by transparent, concrete measures or risk becoming hollow political slogans in the public’s eyes.
He also said that on the issue of recognising the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), different leaders in the government seem to give contradictory statements on the issue.
“Whose statement should the people rely on? The prime minister’s, the minister’s, or the deputy minister’s?
“The government’s apparent indecision on this critical issue reflects a lack of consistency as well as political will, and without a clear position, the government risks aggravating social division,” he said.
Ling also criticised the Education Ministry’s apparent decision to reinstate assessment examinations at Year Four and Form Three without giving students and schools time to adjust.
“This announcement was made at the beginning of the year, yet some students are required to sit for examinations by mid-year, which means this rushed approach could cause a lack of a proper transition period and adequate preparation.
“The real issue is not whether examinations exist, but whether teaching quality, teacher competency, and school resources are sufficient.
“Shifting assessments from Year Six to Year Four does not amount to reform; it is merely a change in format and, in essence, a regression,” he said.
He also raised concern on the plan to allow six-year-olds to enrol early in Year One, adding that without proper preparation, such young children’s learning adaptation and psychological development may be adversely affected.
“We urge the government to place students’ interests at the centre of all education policies, ensure clarity of direction, and implement reforms through concrete measures and meaningful consultation.
“Education reform cannot remain mere rhetoric. It must be realised through genuine improvements, or the next generation will bear the cost,” he added.
