Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says new education blueprint must drive meaningful change, prioritising human values and fighting practices like bullying
PUTRAJAYA: The government’s major leap in education through a new national blueprint must serve as a wake-up call to deliver better results, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said.
He stressed the need for meaningful change, particularly in shaping students’ moral qualities, identity, and sense of humanity.
Anwar stated that practices undermining moral values, including bullying, must not be taken lightly even if they involve a minority.
“We must have the same determination to fight bullying as we do corruption and drugs,” he said at the launch of the National Education Blueprint (RPN) 2026-2035.
“It is a destructive practice that damages the identity and culture of a school.”
He said education must prioritise developing human values that distinguish people from other beings, not just academic achievement.
“All forms of negligence and moral decay must be eradicated because we are educating human beings,” Anwar added.
The Prime Minister called for the entire education ecosystem to be mobilised comprehensively to boost personal development and values.
This involves students, teachers, lecturers, and education leadership in line with current demands on technology and capabilities.
Anwar noted that although specific ministers lead education portfolios, the responsibility rests with the entire Cabinet.
He highlighted Malaysia’s high level of public spending on education compared to many other countries.
“Those allocations and assistance must be matched by improvements in quality and performance across the sector,” he said.
Under Budget 2026, the government allocated RM66.2 billion to the Education Ministry and RM18.6 billion to the Higher Education Ministry.
Anwar said civil servants, including teachers and lecturers, are receiving salary adjustments this month.
Students from Year One to Form Six are being given RM150 in cash assistance to support basic schooling needs.
Additional support includes book vouchers for university students and Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) cash aid.
“These facilities and assistance must translate into better quality, not merely the maintenance of existing standards,” Anwar stated.
“If performance was previously a ‘C’, it should not remain a ‘C’ after support is given.”
