Parents Urged to Play Active Role as Education Reforms in 2026 | KiddyNews

As Malaysia rolls out education reforms in 2026, parents are being urged to step forward not just as supporters, but as active guardians of how these changes are implemented in schools.

Education advocates and academics have long called for a shift away from exam-driven learning towards a more holistic model that nurtures creativity, critical thinking, emotional well-being and lifelong learning. While the upcoming reforms reflect these ambitions, parents are cautioned against assuming that policy changes alone will automatically translate into meaningful classroom practice.

Preschool Reforms to Lead Systemic Change

At the heart of the reform agenda is a new 10-year education blueprint spanning 2026 to 2035, which will guide changes from preschool through secondary education. The reforms will be introduced in stages, starting with preschool in 2026, followed by Year One and Form One in 2027.

For early childhood education, this signals a renewed focus on foundational skills beyond academics, including curiosity, problem-solving, emotional regulation and early digital literacy. The shift aims to move away from rote learning towards developmentally appropriate, child-centred approaches that better prepare children for lifelong learning.

From Exams to Holistic Development

For decades, Malaysia’s education system has been shaped by examinations, rankings and narrow definitions of achievement. The new reforms aim to rebalance priorities by emphasising student well-being, character development, future-ready skills and equity.

Key policy directions include the integration of digital technologies and artificial intelligence in teaching and learning, greater attention to mental health and safety, and efforts to address bullying, inclusion and access gaps across the system.

However, parents are reminded that reform success depends not only on new curricula, but on changes in teaching practices, school culture and parental expectations.

Balanced Bilingual Approach in Early Learning

Language education will also see adjustments, with plans for a balanced bilingual approach that places equal emphasis on Bahasa Malaysia and English, particularly in early learning and STEM-related subjects.

The intention is to equip children with strong communication skills for a globalised world while maintaining national identity, a balance that begins in the preschool years, where language exposure plays a critical role in cognitive and social development.

Stronger Focus on Child Safety and Well-being

One of the most significant aspects of the reforms is the heightened attention to student safety, mental health and emotional well-being. New guidelines will require comprehensive health, mental health and disciplinary records for students transferring between schools, reflecting a system-wide effort to prioritise child protection.

Parents are encouraged to support these measures while remaining vigilant. Safeguarding systems, advocates stress, must protect children rather than label or marginalise them. Bullying, abuse and emotional distress should be addressed transparently, without being minimised to protect institutional reputation.

A safe child, educators note, is a child who can truly learn.

Parental Mindsets Must Evolve Too

As schools move towards holistic education, parents are also urged to reassess how success is defined at home. Advocates caution against demanding well-being initiatives while continuing to judge children solely by grades, rankings and comparison.

If diverse pathways – academic, technical, vocational and skills-based – are to be valued, parents must avoid treating some routes as lesser options. Children absorb values early, and parental attitudes often shape how reforms are experienced on the ground.

What Parents Should Expect and Demand

As reforms take shape, parents are encouraged to collectively advocate for clear and transparent communication on curriculum and assessment changes, genuine support for teachers to prevent burnout, firm enforcement of safeguarding and anti-bullying measures, meaningful parental engagement beyond formal briefings, and reporting systems that reflect whole-child development rather than exam results alone.

These expectations, education advocates stress, are not excessive, but essential for a system entrusted with children’s futures.

A Shared Responsibility for 2026 and Beyond

The year 2026 marks a redefinition of roles across the education landscape. Students are expected to become active learners, teachers to serve as mentors and facilitators, and parents to act as partners rather than pressure amplifiers.

Schools will increasingly rely on parents in areas such as digital safety, mental health awareness and values education. Ultimately, education reform is not the responsibility of ministries and schools alone, but a shared social contract.

For Malaysia’s children, especially those in their earliest years of learning, the success of these reforms will depend on consistent implementation, mutual trust and sustained parental engagement, ensuring that change is real, meaningful and lasting.

Source:

The Edge Malaysia  – “Edunation: Parents must be the guardians of education reform”

Thoughtfully adapted by KiddyNews. Keeping parents and educators informed with the latest ECCE developments from Malaysia and beyond.