Education

Where education begins

In Malaysia, as in most parts of the world, we tend to focus on universities when we talk about education. People talk about which degrees to choose, how to get good jobs, and which universities are the best. Parents save money for years to send their children to university.

Education

Dedicated Tamil school teachers leave no child behind

I AM writing as a proud parent to commend a truly remarkable secondary school – SMK Vivekananda, Brickfields – which I believe deserves to be recognised. While I prefer to remain anonymous, I cannot stay silent about the outstanding dedication I have witnessed from the teachers and leadership of this school.

Education

Do more to protect us, say students

"My school has never experienced a real fire, but we practise drills for it. There are alarms, clear steps, and order.

Education

CGPA now key to JPA payback

STUDENTS say the new merit-based sponsorship model recently introduced by the Public Services Department (JPA) gives them more control over their future, but they are calling for improved measures to ensure fairness.

Nation

Expert: Treat safety in schools as a public health matter

PETALING JAYA: Fire and flood safety in schools must be recognised as a public health priority, not merely a safety concern, says Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Faculty of Medicine Assoc Prof Dr Rosnah Ismail.

Education

Balancing BM and English

IN kindergarten, I was surrounded by adults who mostly spoke Malay. My only exposure to English was through television, so it was no surprise that I was much better at Malay.

Education

Start safety early

STAYING safe during disasters is a fundamental life skill – one that is crucial for survival.

Nation

Zara Qairina’s death probe completed

KUANTAN: Police have completed their investigation into the death of 13-year-old Zara Qairina Mahathir, who was found unconscious in a drain near her school dormitory on July 16, says Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

Nation

Bullying is not a rite of passage, say educators

PETALING JAYA: Bullying in schools should never be condoned, as it is a crime and not a tradition to be passed on, say educators.

Education

From brain drain to brain gain

MALAYSIA can benefit from young talents going abroad to gain knowledge and experience – if we can get them to return and contribute to nation-building.

Education

Securing the vulnerable

EQUITABLE, long-term and scalable interventions – beyond just emergency preparedness training – should be introduced in schools, particularly those serving vulnerable communities, say stakeholders.

Nation

Ramping up disaster response

PETALING JAYA: Plans to address disasters and emergencies are being expedited in view of the northeast monsoon causing damage to more schools now than before, says the Education Ministry.

STARPICKS

The future of health sciences

TAYLOR'S UNIVERSITY is redefining the future of healthcare education with its Bachelor of Applied Health Sciences (Honours) programme.

Education

Community champs

Leading up to the Asean Day celebration on Aug 8, Maybank Foundation and Asean Foundation recently welcomed 100 youth volunteers and representatives from 10 civil society organisations (CSOs) and social enterprises (SEs) from across South-East Asia to the Regional Capacity Building Workshop for eMpowering Youths Across Asean (eYAA): Cohort 5, at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand.

Education

Don't Miss It: Workshop on studying in the US

USAPPS 2025, a non-profit workshop led by Malaysian students and graduates from top US universities, will be conducted to help guide those keen on applying to American universities.

STARPICKS

From classroom to courtroom

LAW is one of the oldest and most respected fields of study — and today, it's more dynamic than ever.

Nation

Amendments to the Education Act passed, secondary school education now compulsory

KUALA LUMPUR: The Dewan Rakyat passed the Education (Amendment) Bill 2025, which expands the definition of "compulsory education" under the 1996 Education Act to include secondary schooling.

Nation

Vertical school guidelines to be presented to Cabinet soon, says deputy minister

KUALA LUMPUR: Guidelines towards the development of vertical school buildings have been finalised and are set to be presented to the Cabinet, says the Education Ministry.

Nation

Public varsity placements for STPM holders rose by 90% over seven years, says Zambry

KUALA LUMPUR: The number of Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) and equivalent certificate leavers offered placements in public universities increased by 90.1% over the past seven years, the Dewan Rakyat was told. Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir said a total of 4,530 STPM and equivalent leavers were offered placements for the 2018/2019 academic session while as many as 8,612 were offered for the 2024/2025 academic session. He also said there are open or commercial pathways that operate on an "over and above" principle and do not interfere with projections for the main intake. "Open channels will also have to undergo an evaluation process and adhere to qualifications, alongside compliance with academic conditions, language skills and programme criteria. "There is no compromise on standards set by accredited bodies," he said in a written reply on Wednesday (July 30). Zambry added that the open channel model shows the growing maturity of the higher education system, noting the rapid developments in the academic world. "This requires universities to be quick on their feet and have their own financial resources," he said. He stressed that the ministry is committed to ensuring access to tertiary education continues to grow and benefit all Malaysians. He was replying to Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong (BN-Ayer Hitam), who asked why fewer STPM top scorers were admitted through the Unit Pusat Universiti (UPU) system compared to matriculation and foundation students since 2018. Dr Wee also asked about a lack of government funding, forcing public universities to overcome the shortcomings through open channels, resulting in higher tuition fees. ENDS Parliament, Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia, STPM, Equivalent, Certificate Leavers, Offer, Placements, Public Universities, Increased, Higher Education Minister, Zambry Abd Kadir

Nation

Education Ministry denies claims of inaction in Zara Qairina case

PETALING JAYA: Claims that the Education Ministry failed to act following the death of 13-year-old Zara Qairina Mahathir are untrue, says Fadhlina Sidek.