04/02/2025

TUESDAY | FEB 4, 2025

3 Experts weigh in on Malaysia’s 11-year mandatory schooling

Job rotation for civil servants begins in phases BANGI: The job rotation for civil servants who have served at service counters for more than five years began last month in phases, said Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar. He added that the implementation has already involved many civil servants in this category. “Since last month, thousands of counter staff have been rotated. We will carefully evaluate the timing because we want to avoid any disruption to services, so this process will be carried out in phases,”he said after attending the KSN Unplugged event with the association of former students of Mara Junior Science College 2025 on Sunday. On Jan 25, Public Service director-general Tan Sri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz said the rotation was in line with Shamsul Azri’s directive on job rotation policies for civil servants who have served at service counters for over five years. The initiative aims to enhance their knowledge, experience and safety while expanding their professional networks. On Malaysia’s public service sector targets, Shamsul Azri said the country aims to be among the top 20 in the Blavatnik Index of Public Administration by Oxford University in the future. “Singapore is ranked first. Malaysia aims to be at least on the same level as South Korea within the top 20. I’m confident that Malaysia can move in that direction. In December, international reports revealed that Singapore ranked first in border services, tax administration and strategy and innovation practices, according to the study, which assessed public administration across 120 countries. – Bernama

Ű BY KIRTINEE RAMESH newsdesk@thesubdaily.com

o Calls for policy alignment, compulsory preschool and stronger support systems

particularly for workers. Encouragingly, statements from the Malaysian Employers Federation, FMM and business chambers indicate that they generally support the implementation of this new minimum wage,”he said. Asked about FMM’s proposal to implement the wage hike in phases to ease the burden on businesses, especially small and medium enterprises, Sim said while the new wage policy is now in effect, smaller companies have been given a grace period until August to comply. – Bernama Congress of Unions of Teachers in the Malaysian Education Service secretary-general Mohd Azizee Hasan welcomed the policy stating that it is designed to reduce dropouts and align with the Public Service Department’s staffing scheme, which now requires an SPM certificate as a minimum qualification. “This policy ensures that students are better prepared for future job markets by equipping them with the necessary skills and knowledge,” he said, adding that it supports Malaysia’s long-term goal of developing an industry-ready workforce. He also noted that the removal of UPSR and PT3 represents a shift towards a more holistic education approach under the Education Ministry. The new framework emphasises character building, talent development and individual student strengths. “Education is no longer just about academic achievement. Future job markets demand soft skills such as creativity, teamwork, communication and self confidence,” he said. Comparing Malaysia’s education system to other countries, Mohd Azizee pointed out that an 11-year mandatory schooling period aligns with international standards. “Countries such as Singapore and the UK have similar education durations ranging from nine to 12 years depending on national needs,” he said. He added that the Education Ministry has actively engaged parents, teachers and education experts in shaping the 2027 School Curriculum which will prioritise fundamental literacy and numeracy skills before advancing to more complex subjects. With the abolition of UPSR and PT3, Mohd Azizee stressed the crucial role of teachers in assessing student progress. He also highlighted the importance of support from state education departments, district education offices and mentor teachers in guiding educators. “If implemented effectively, this system could have a positive long term impact on students’ academic and career prospects.”

PETALING Malaysia’s decision to extend mandatory schooling from six to 11 years has sparked discussions among education experts about its implications, benefits and challenges. Malaysia Institute of Inclusive Development and Advancement deputy director Dr Anuar Ahmad said while the policy offers long term benefits, structural reforms are needed to ensure its effectiveness. “Extending mandatory schooling to 11 years is a step in the right direction as it provides long term advantages for students and national development,” he said. However, Anuar raised concerns about secondary school students who may prefer to enter the workforce rather than continue their education. “This is further complicated by Malaysia’s Children and Young Persons (Employment) Act 1966, JAYA:

report from April 2024, he said 24% of Malaysian children entering primary school lacked school readiness skills, often due to missing preschool education. “The primary school curriculum assumes that pupils already have basic reading and counting skills but those who skipped preschool often struggle to keep up. As a result, they lose motivation and are at higher risk of dropping out later,” he said. To address this, he proposed making preschool education compulsory. “If all children start their education with a strong foundation in literacy and numeracy, they will be better prepared for primary and secondary school lessons. This early intervention can significantly reduce dropout rates,” he said.

which allows children aged 15 to work full time and permits light work for those as young as 13,” he said. He noted that this law conflicts with the Education Act 1996, which mandates schooling, and called for harmonisation between the two. “Education should remain the priority while also considering the economic and social circumstances of students who may need to start working at a young age,” he said. Another key challenge is the high dropout rate among secondary school students with weak academic performance. “Many struggle due to poor literacy and numeracy skills – commonly referred to as 3M (reading, writing and arithmetic),” he said, attributing the issue to a lack of early childhood education. Highlighting a World Bank

Ahmad Fadzli is new Selangor state secretary

SHAH ALAM: Datuk Dr Ahmad Fadzli Ahmad Tajuddin has been appointed as the new Selangor state secretary effective yesterday. The appointment was announced through the official Facebook page of the Selangor State Secretary’s Office on Sunday. Ahmad Fadzli has previously served at the National Institute of Public Administration as head of management development and innovation cluster. He was appointed president of the Klang Municipal Council, now the Royal Klang City Council, in April 2020 before becoming state financial officer in December 2021. – Bernama

Anuar said extending mandatory schooling to 11 years is a step in the right direction as it provides long-term advantages for students and national development. – AMIRUL SYAFIQ/THESUN

‘Govt to maintain stakeholder talks on minimum wage’ GEORGE TOWN: The Human Resources Ministry will continue engaging with key stakeholders, including employers and employees, to refine the implementation of the new minimum wage policy, which took effect on Saturday.

conference on Sunday after attending Penang DAP’s Chinese New Year open house at the Penang Chinese Town Hall. He was responding to concerns raised by the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM), which had outlined four key considerations for ensuring a balanced implementation of the new minimum wage. Its president Tan Sri Soh Thian Lai suggested that the RM1,700 minimum wage should be applied differently based on states and industries while ensuring it does not become a benchmark for starting salaries across

all sectors. Addressing these concerns, Sim said the wage hike decision had been extensively discussed within the National Wages Consultative Council, which includes representatives from the government, employers and employees. “This policy was formulated after thorough discussions within the council, where all parties reached a consensus on the new wage level. “As with any policy, opinions vary. Some say the increase is too little, while others feel it’s too much. However, our priority is to strike a fair balance,

continue improving the policy through discussions with relevant stakeholders. “We will take multiple factors into account, including the possibility of implementing different wage levels based on geographical areas and economic conditions. I have already directed a further study on this, which will involve engagement sessions to gather input from all parties. “We will also examine the feasibility of setting region-specific wage levels to ensure fairness. These considerations will be part of our ongoing efforts to improve the policy,” he said during a press

Minister Steven Sim said these engagement sessions would help fine tune the wage structure by considering various factors, including geographical differences and economic conditions across states. He gave an assurance the ministry remains open to suggestions and feedback from all parties and will