Mandatory Secondary Education: The Purpose & Interests

The Malaysian Ministry of Education (MOE) will implement compulsory secondary education policies after the 1996 education laws are changed.

Through this policy, parents need to ensure that their children get their secondary education as they are educated at a lower level.

About the secondary education policy is mandatory

This policy generally requires all young people to get education up to the age of 17 years.

This is important as a catalyst for change to ensure that all children in Malaysia have an educational opportunity to the secondary level while avoiding dropping out of school.

With this policy, the problem of attendance and school dropouts can be handled as an effort to improve the quality of state education.

To implement this policy, the Bill (Bill) to change the 1996 Education Law (Law 550) will be submitted at the second meeting of the Parliament of the 15th Parliament on July 21, 2025 to 28 August 2025.

This is to ensure that all education, access, and assistance needed is given previously, while the joint advocacy and responsibility between the government, the community and parents are strengthened.

Reduction of school dropout rates

The dropout rate is expected to decline because more students continue their studies from the year six to form one and from three forms to four forms.

For example, when elementary schools were needed in 2003, registration increased from 92.9 percent of the year to 96.78 percent in 2007, which exceeded the Universal UN registration rate of 95 percent.

In 2024, the elementary school registration rate was 99.39 percent, compared to the 94.86 percent high school registration rate, slightly below the universal registration rate.

The basic interests of secondary education are compulsory

These basic interests are as follows:

• Guarantee the right to get the best education: Education is the right of every citizen of a citizen. The best education guarantees the future of children, families, communities and countries.
• Better future: Allows each student to get education until the end of form 5 which opens up opportunities for them to pursue higher education or enter the workforce.
• Handling social problems: This education policy can ensure that students focus on learning until the end of form 5. He can overcome social problems and minors.
• Increase Student Participation and Registration: Low mandatory education settings have shown positive effects, reaching registration of more than 99% and exceeding universal registration. The extension of this educational policy is believed to have a significant impact.
• Preparing to face ‘Old Country’.: Better education status will make us better prepared to live a stable, quality, and safe life after retirement age.
• Human Resource Development: The development of more competitive human resources based on the value of ‘creativity’ Malaysia Madani can contribute to the progress of the country through skilled and knowledgeable citizens.

Law

Through this policy, legal action is the last step that will be taken by the Ministry of Education (MOE) if parents fail to comply with this policy after being implemented.

If the policy is not met, parents/guardians can be fined no more than RM5,000 or prison no more than six months or both.

However, MOE will focus on advocacy, awareness, and responsibility of the government in providing facilities and access to education in advance.

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