The National Education Blueprint 2026-2035 will mainstream TVET and STEM education from Form One to build technical skills and meet industry demands
PUTRAJAYA: Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is being mainstreamed through the new National Education Blueprint (RPN) 2026-2035.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said this is part of the government’s effort to strengthen skilled workforce development for future industry needs.
Ahmad Zahid, who chairs the National TVET Council, said the early emphasis on TVET and STEM education aims to build a strong technical foundation.
This approach, beginning as early as Form One, seeks to increase student interest in technology-based fields.
He cited positive progress, with the employability rate of TVET graduates rising from 91.5% to 99.5%.
This reinforces confidence that the new approach is on the right track to meet labour market demands.
“This is a significant leap forward, and it shows that TVET will be fully mainstreamed through the RPN,” he said when commenting on the blueprint’s launch.
Ahmad Zahid described the RPN as a major reform of the national education system.
He noted the blueprint reintroduces structured testing and assessment. The government has reinstated assessments at the Year Four level in primary schools, while secondary-level assessments have resumed in Form Three.
For higher education, the focus is on preventing a mismatch between graduates’ fields of study and their eventual jobs. This adjustment is in line with current labour market needs.
“In this regard, we see that the necessary adjustments have been made, including a stronger emphasis on language and history,” he said.
This includes requiring the study of Malay and History in religious and tahfiz schools.
He expressed confidence that the system also encompasses pondok schools. The RPN 2026–2035 is a comprehensive education reform initiative aimed at building a more equitable, competitive and values-driven future generation.
The blueprint involves the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education.
It serves as a strategic national framework covering the entire education ecosystem from schools to higher education institutions.
