Dewan Rakyat Passes Bill To Make Secondary Education Compulsory
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek, when winding up the debate on the bill, described the amendment to the Education Act 1996 (Act 550) as a historic and crucial moment in human capital development through the national education system.
'Education is the birthright of every child, meaning every child is born with the right to receive education,' she said.
Earlier, during the debate session, both government and opposition Members of Parliament expressed support for the amendment, describing it as an important reform of the national education system.
Cha Kee Chin (PH-Rasah) said the initiative represented a meaningful education reform in efforts to elevate the quality of education and human capital development in the country.
He also congratulated the MADANI Government for the bold initiative and felt that the move should have been implemented earlier to ensure every child received proper education.
'It will enable human capital development to be elevated to a higher level than before, so that we are on par with other countries. Imagine if we only have six years of compulsory education — how can we become a developed country?' he said.
Datuk Dr Ku Abd Rahman Ku Ismail (PN-Kubang Pasu) said making secondary education compulsory could break the cycle of poverty and strengthen critical thinking, while enhancing students' employability and communication skills to participate in the economy and society.
Ahmad Johnie Zawawi (GPS-Igan) said the move was timely to build a knowledgeable and competitive generation with the values of human dignity or 'karamah insaniah' as enshrined in the National Education Philosophy.
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