KUCHING: The national education policy must remain consistent for at least 50 years and not be altered with every change in government.
In emphasising this, Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, stated that frequent changes in policy whenever a new minister is appointed would only disrupt the continuity of the education system, place unnecessary burdens on teachers, and negatively affect students, who ultimately suffer due to such uncertainty.
“Let us not allow a situation where every five years, or whenever a general election takes place, the minister changes, the system changes, the syllabus changes, and the methods change,” he said.
He was speaking at a press conference after attending the 2025 National Teachers’ Day Celebration at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) today.
“Education should not be treated as an experiment. Existing policies should be continued and improved gradually,” he added.
In response to the recent announcement by Education Minister, Fadhlina Sidek, Zahid also expressed his support for the deployment of 32 teachers to the United Kingdom under the Global Immersion For Future-Ready Teachers (GIFT) programme.
He went further by suggesting that the number be increased to 320 as a form of encouragement and recognition for the teaching community.
He also praised ongoing efforts to strengthen the digital and skills-based education ecosystem, particularly in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) as well as technical and vocational education and training (TVET), in line with the current demands of the job market.
Zahid also informed that 57 MARA Junior Science Colleges (MRSMs) have now adopted the Ulul Albab approach, which combines academic excellence, particularly in STEM, with Quranic memorisation and strong moral values.
“This integrated model is designed to produce students who are both intellectually capable and spiritually grounded.
“At the same time, STEM teaching methods must be more creative to capture students’ interest,” he said.
