PUTRAJAYA: The Education Department aims to raise the universal enrolment rate for secondary schools to over 95%, in line with the Education (Amendment) Act 2025, which will come into force soon.
Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh said the success of primary school enrolment, rising from about 92% in 2003 to over 99% in 2026, proved the effectiveness of the compulsory education policy implemented 23 years ago.
"Now our desire, our goal, is no longer limited to primary education alone. We want to ensure this, as we have currently achieved a universal enrolment of 94 per cent at the secondary school level.
"Once the amendments to the Education (Amendment) Act 2025 come into force, we hope to surpass the universal enrolment target of 95 per cent and increase it further in the coming years," he said at the Education Ministry 2025 Excellent Service Award and Excellent Service Medal Presentation Ceremony, as well as the 2025/2026 Jasamu Dikenang ceremony, here on Tuesday (June 16).
Also present were the ministry’s secretary-general, Datuk Wan Hashim Wan Rahim, and director-general of Education, Datuk Dr Mohd Azam Ahmad.
Last July, the Dewan Rakyat passed the Education (Amendment) Bill 2025, which expands the definition of compulsory education to include secondary schooling. It mandates that all Malaysian children must be enrolled in secondary school for the duration of their studies.
Wong said that the amended act was not punitive but intended to raise awareness among parents and students about the importance of completing Form Five.
He said the ministry is committed to ensuring educational access for all Malaysians by expanding the Comprehensive Special Model School 9 (K9) and Comprehensive Special Model School 11 (K11) initiatives.
The K9 model refers to nine years of schooling across the primary and lower secondary levels, with pupils spending six years in primary school and three years in lower secondary school within the same institution. The K11 model offers more comprehensive access to education from primary to secondary levels for 11 years, namely from Year One to Form Five, in the same school.
He added that there are currently 26 K9 schools and nine K11 schools nationwide.
"Next year, the ministry aims to add seven more K11 schools, bringing the total to 16, with targeted locations including Perak, Terengganu, Kelantan, Pahang, and Sabah.
"The schools have been identified, and we are making the necessary efforts and preparations. Once everything is finalised, we will provide details regarding these schools," he said. – Bernama
