PETALING JAYA: Education experts have questioned the government plan to introduce a new “Character Education” subject by 2027, warning that it risks becoming another layer of bureaucracy that duplicates existing programmes and adds to the burden of students and teachers.
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Malaysian Inclusive Development and Advancement Institute deputy director Dr Anuar Ahmad said elements of character development are already embedded in various subjects and school activities.
“For Muslim students, character education is part of Islamic Education. For non-Muslims, it is in Moral Education.
“We also have the Student Character System, Duta Sahsiah programme and uniformed bodies that build discipline and leadership.
“There is no need for another subject. If what we have now is not effective, then improve it.”
Anuar said the Education Ministry should focus on strengthening existing mechanisms rather than introducing new, untested initiatives.
“The ministry itself has said the curriculum is already heavy. Adjustments were made in 2023 to reduce the load, so why add more?
“This would only make things messy and overlapping.”
He urged the ministry to empower school counselling programmes and peer support clubs as they are vital to student wellbeing, but remain under-resourced.
“One counsellor sometimes handles 500 or 600 students, when the international standard is one to 250. Many schools also have counselling rooms that do not ensure privacy.
“These are the issues that need fixing.”
Anuar added that counselling should only be carried out by licensed professionals, not regular teachers assigned to the role.
“Counselling involves ethics and confidentiality. If untrained teachers give the wrong advice, it could harm students. Teachers are already overloaded. They should not be expected to take on more roles, and students should not be weighed down by more subjects.”
National Union of the Teaching Profession secretary-general Fouzi Singon said the introduction of Character Education should be viewed as part of the ministry’s long-term curriculum reform rather than as a separate subject.
“The Education Ministry is reviewing the entire national curriculum. It would be rolled out in phases, starting with preschool in 2026 and Year One in 2027, and would continue gradually until around 2037,” he said.
He added that character development would be integrated into the new curriculum framework.
