On 10 October 2025, the Budget for 2026 was presented. The Ministry of Education (MOE) received an allocation of RM66.2 billion, making it the most among all ministries. This unequivocally indicates that the country affirms that education is vital to its national development strategy.
This is, in many respects, a time for reflection. Reducing school dropout rates, enhancing literacy, bridging urban-rural disparities, and bolstering teachers’ abilities are objectives that cannot be assured just through larger cheque books, but rather, the real test lies in determining if this investment is linked to quantifiable learning outcomes or if it devolves into yet another cycle of inputs with uncertain returns.
The 2026 budget reaffirms its commitment to familiar needs: RM2 billion allocated for the renovation of over 520 deteriorating schools (particularly in Sabah and Sarawak); the establishment of 38 new schools; enhanced financial assistance and support initiatives; and RM115 million earmarked for preparing teaching for the 2027 curriculum alongside STEM pedagogical innovation.
These are praiseworthy, as certainly many areas experience leaking school roofs, overcrowded classrooms, and a shortage of specialised educators. However, over the years, Malaysia has consistently increased allocations without concurrently establishing solid, transparent procedures to assess and validate whether students are learning more, beyond merely improved infrastructure.
To transform Budget 2026 from a statement of intent into a real turning point, several shifts are vital:
1. Enhance Outcome Transparency
Each significant line item e.g., school enhancements, educator training, student assistance, ought to be accompanied with publicly accessible, routinely updated metrics. For school infrastructure, this may include the proportion of classrooms deemed habitable, operational basic utilities, or adherence to safety checks. The percentage of teachers implementing innovative methodologies in supervised classroom environments for training purposes. This initiative is not aimed at penalising schools, but rather at establishing a feedback loop: investment followed by evidence, subsequently leading to adjustments.
2. Transform Equity into a Substantive Principle
The focus of the restoration on Sabah and Sarawak is certainly fair; nevertheless, we must ensure that for every ringgit allocated, underserved regions receive not merely superficial enhancements, but also productive ICT access, teacher incentives, specialised support, and language bridge programs. Otherwise, infrastructure alone may perpetuate inequality.
3. Link Teacher Support to Observable Classroom Changes
An investment of RM115 million in teacher upskilling is expected. What frequently falters, however, is the conversion of those hours into sustained transformations in instructional practice. The budget must specifically provide resources for coaching, peer observation, and iterative feedback mechanisms instead of one-off workshops. The efficacy of this allocation should be assessed not by attendance, but by modifications in instruction.
4. Strengthen Auditability and Independent Review
When multi-billion-ringgit infrastructure, aid, or subsidy allocations are involved, relying only on internal reporting invites complacency. Independent audits or third-party verification involving academic institutions, civil society, audit agencies ought to be engaged to validate execution and assess impact.
5. Prioritise Diagnostic Assessments with Minimal Stigma
To know if the system is working, we must not shy from measuring student learning. But these diagnostics should be low-stakes, formative, and used to drive remedial supports, not to rank or shame. Paired with data reporting, these can guide resource reallocation to schools or districts lagging behind.
The 2026 budget demonstrates increasing ambition in infrastructure, teacher readiness, and enhanced student assistance. However, ambition without of accountability is tenuous. Should the system fail to associate the RM66.2 billion with tangible, periodic proof of incremental improvements in literacy, numeracy, teacher effectiveness, and equal outcomes, even in remote regions, it risks perpetuating historical cycles.
The required transformation lies not in extensive new initiatives, but in tethering each ringgit to a measurable indicator of learning. Governments have historically pledged increased educational institutions, enhanced assistance, and further training. Let this budget be known as the one that made learning itself visible. That’s how we move from spending to impact.
Galvin Lee Kuan Sian (hello@galvinlee.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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