KUALA LUMPUR: The National Education Blueprint 2026–2035 is expected to humanise Malaysia’s education system by placing greater emphasis on holistic student development beyond academic achievement, an academician said.
Universiti Malaya Faculty of Education deputy dean (research) Assoc Prof Dr Zuwati Hasim said the blueprint reflects Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s vision of “giving soul” to education by nurturing students with a balance of academic knowledge, soft skills and life skills.
She said the blueprint would support both educators and parents in addressing the humanistic aspects of education, including emotional development, confidence-building and communication skills.
“When we talk about humanising education, it is about giving soul to the system. We want students to have not only academic knowledge, but also soft skills and life skills that prepare them for real life,” she told Bernama yesterday.
Assoc Prof Zuwati noted that communication skills have become increasingly important, as many children today struggle with interpersonal interaction due to prolonged exposure to digital gadgets and technology.
“We notice that many children feel anxious about speaking to others and often label themselves as introverts, which tends to shift the blame to the term itself,” she said.
“However, this is something that can be changed through appropriate exposure and a supportive learning environment. In that sense, the blueprint is timely.”
Commenting on the new assessment methods for Year Four students, Assoc Prof Zuwati said she expects a shift away from exam-oriented grading towards diagnostic and formative assessments.
She said such assessments should focus on identifying students’ strengths and weaknesses rather than grading and comparison, as the primary objective should be improvement, not ranking.
