KOTA KINABALU: The Ministry of Education (KPM) sees positively the matter raised by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi regarding the national education policy that does not conduct examinations for Year 6 and Form 3, which needs to be revamped.
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said since the desired matter is aimed at improving national education, the Ministry of Education will probably bring the issue to the Cabinet to be discussed and decided.
She said in improving the national education system, the MoE announced the national education reform agenda including the Technical Education and Vocational Training Program (TVET); Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM); glorifying Malay and English and expanding preschool.
"We are also looking at preparations in terms of the new education development plan because the existing education development plan ends in 2025 as well as the implementation of the new curriculum that will take effect in 2027, so I think improvement and education reform is underway," she said after an official working visit to the Kota Kinabalu Integrity School here today.
Yesterday, Ahmad Zahid raised the matter because he found that about 10,177 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) candidates had dropped out last year, due to problems in reading, writing and arithmetics (3M).
According to Fadhlina, the KPM was also currently implementing a curriculum intervention program that yielded results in terms of identifying 122,000 Year 1 students who have yet to master 3M.
"In addition to all programs and also strengthening at the curriculum level including teachers training, we are strengthening the curriculum intervention program that we are implementing," she said.
Meanwhile, she added that the seven Integrity Schools and four Henry Gurney Schools in the country need to be strengthened in aspects of education and should be seen with the continuation of education to a higher level.
"We are very proud of their exam results as they have a record of achieving 100 percent passing in SPM, therefore, we must commit to ensure that they have access to continue their education at a higher level.
"KPM already has several collaborations with the Ministry of Higher Education (KPT), but I feel the opportunity needs to be opened up again, there are some opportunities that I can remember very well, especially those related to TVET," she added.
She said Integrity School and Henry Gurney School is a reflection of KPM's continuous commitment because the human element of the education agenda ensures that no one is left behind in terms of access to quality education. – BERNAMA