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THE nation’s upcoming Education Blueprint 2026-2035 will impose rigorous performance benchmarks for students, mandating that all primary and secondary school pupils achieve at least a grade C in Bahasa Melayu, English, Mathematics, and History, the Education director-general Mohd Azam Ahmad announced.
“These are mandatory targets. If they are not achieved, we must ask why,” he said, underlining the accountability measures the ministry plans to implement.
In addition to academic standards, the ministry has set a target for 90% of students from upper primary through Form Five to meet passing standards in physical fitness and health assessments.
Mohd Azam explained that the Blueprint is structured around seven strategic pillars designed to provide a comprehensive roadmap for Malaysia’s education system, combining long-term objectives with short-term “quick wins” to deliver early results.
“The priorities under these pillars are to ensure that our education system is inclusive, dynamic, and relevant, maximising every student’s potential through meaningful learning experiences,” he said.
The strategy also encompasses strengthening infrastructure and support systems across agencies while enhancing teacher quality and overall system efficiency through cross-agency collaboration.
He emphasised that these targets must extend beyond examination results, permeating classroom teaching, school activities, and teacher-student interactions.
“It is not just about scores; it is about ensuring that the learning environment reflects these standards consistently,” Mohd Azam said during a televised interview reported by Sin Chew Daily.
To ensure effective implementation, a dedicated unit has been established within the ministry to monitor progress, adjust strategies, and guarantee that reforms are translated into tangible improvements at school and classroom levels.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is expected to officially launch the Education Blueprint 2026-2035 on Tuesday.
Mohd Azam highlighted that the Blueprint’s core values focus on human-centred education, aiming to nurture “holistically developed individuals.”
“In other words, the individuals we nurture must achieve balanced development in knowledge, skills, cognition, psychological well-being, and emotional maturity.
“This can only be achieved through a long-term and continuous educational process,” he said, framing the Blueprint as a roadmap for both academic excellence and the overall well-being of Malaysian students. - January 18, 2026
