Kota Kinabalu: Elements reflecting Sabah’s identity, or “Citra Sabah”, will be incorporated into the new Year One and Form One curriculum from next year following agreement on education matters discussed under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), said Education Minister Datuk Seri Fadhlina Sidek Friday.
She disclosed the development after attending the 2026 Malaysia Agreement 1963 Implementation Action Council (MTPMA63) meeting earlier in the day with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
Fadhlina said education was among the matters discussed in efforts to continue strengthening education in Sabah based on the substance, agreements and terms of MA63.
“Among the matters on which we have reached agreement is the inclusion of Citra Sabah in the school curriculum,” she told reporters after the handover ceremony for Sekolah Menengah Sains Sabah (Smesh) and SK Buit Hill at Bukit Padang, here, Friday.
She said implementation would begin under the new Year One and Form One curriculum in 2027.
“With this agreement and support, we can implement it as early as the new curriculum next year and include the Citra Sabah element in the curriculum,” she said.
Fadhlina said the initiative was important in strengthening ties between Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak through education.
She said Sabah’s identity and cultural richness could be shared through the curriculum so that they could be understood and appreciated by schoolchildren.
Fadhlina said several other education matters under the MA63 discussions had either been resolved earlier or were at the final stage of being concluded.
She expressed satisfaction with the progress of the discussions and said cooperation and support from Sabah and Sarawak had been important in moving the education matters forward.
Earlier in her speech, Fadhlina said she and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) Datuk Mustapha Sakmud attended the MTPMA63 meeting in the morning.
She said cooperation between the Federal and State governments was essential in addressing Sabah’s education requirements and ensuring the State’s education development continued to receive attention.
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