Latest news with #Education(Amendment)Bill2025
The Star
2 hours ago
- Politics
- The Star
Mandate secondary schooling
Ready to roll: Students queueing to enter SMJK Katholik in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, in this file photo. KUALA LUMPUR: To create nationwide access to education, amendments to the Education Act to make secondary schooling compulsory have been brought to Parliament. The Education (Amendment) Bill 2025 was presented for first reading in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday by Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh, who said the second and third readings are expected to be completed during the current session. The Bill, among others, seeks to revise the definition of 'compulsory education' in the 1996 Education Act to include secondary schooling. It also introduces a new provision – Section 32A – that empowers the Education Minister to designate secondary education as mandatory for all Malaysian children residing in the country. It states that parents are legally required to enrol their children in both primary and secondary institutions, unless officially exempted. Under the new Section 32(a)(4), parents who fail to enrol their children in school face a fine of up to RM5,000, six months' jail or both, upon conviction. The Bill further stipulates penalties for non-compliance with the new provisions and authorises the minister to make additional regulations related to enforcement and exemptions. Wong said the legislation would also amend provisions related to the registration of children for primary schooling, requiring parents to enrol children by the age of six as of Jan 1 in any given academic year. If passed, the changes will mark a significant expansion of Malaysia's education mandate. The Bill notes that implementing the new measures will incur additional government expenditure, with the exact amount yet to be determined.
The Sun
16 hours ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Education amendment bill 2025 makes secondary school compulsory
KUALA LUMPUR: The Education (Amendment) Bill 2025 was tabled for its first reading in the Dewan Rakyat today, proposing significant changes to Malaysia's education system. The bill aims to make secondary education compulsory, expanding the current definition under the Education Act 1996. Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh introduced the bill, confirming that the second reading will follow during the ongoing parliamentary session. The amendments target Section 2 of the Education Act 1996, redefining 'compulsory education' to include secondary schooling. A new provision, Section 32A, mandates that parents of Malaysian children residing in the country must enroll their children in secondary education institutions and ensure continuous attendance. Non-compliance could lead to penalties, including fines up to RM5,000, imprisonment for six months, or both. The bill acknowledges that these changes will require additional government funding, though the exact financial impact remains undetermined. The move aligns with broader efforts to enhance educational attainment and reduce dropout rates nationwide. - Bernama
New Straits Times
18 hours ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Bill for mandatory secondary education tabled
KUALA LUMPUR: The bill making secondary education compulsory was tabled in the Dewan Rakyat today. The government intends to insert a new provision – Section 32A – under the Education Act 1996, which allows the minister to publish an order in the gazette to make secondary education compulsory. The new provision penalises violation of the law with a maximum fine of RM5,000 or a maximum jail term of six months or both, unless the child is given an exemption. The bill also aims to change the scope of Section 29A to cover all Malaysian children residing in Malaysia. Currently, Section 29A of the Education Act only mandates primary education for children of Malaysian citizens residing in Malaysia. The Education (Amendment) Bill 2025 was presented for its first reading in Parliament by Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh, who also said the bill's second and third readings are slated to be completed in the same session.
The Star
19 hours ago
- Politics
- The Star
Bill to make secondary school compulsory tabled in Parliament
KUALA LUMPUR: A bill to amend the Education Act and make secondary schooling compulsory has been tabled in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday (July 28). The Education (Amendment) Bill 2025 was presented for first reading in Parliament by Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh, who said the second and third readings are expected to be completed during the current session. Under the proposed amendments, the bill seeks to revise the definition of 'compulsory education' in the 1996 Education Act to include secondary schooling. It also introduces a new provision - Section 32A - that empowers the education minister to designate secondary education as mandatory for all Malaysian children residing in the country. Parents would be legally required to enrol their children in both primary and secondary institutions unless officially exempted. The bill further stipulates penalties for non-compliance with the new provisions, and authorises the minister to make additional regulations related to enforcement and exemptions. According to Wong, the legislation would also amend provisions related to the registration of children for primary schooling, requiring parents to enrol children by age six as of Jan 1 in any given academic year. If passed, the changes would mark a significant expansion of Malaysia's education mandate, though the bill notes that implementing the new measures will incur additional government expenditure, the exact amount of which has yet to be determined.
BusinessToday
a day ago
- Business
- BusinessToday
SST Relief, Foreign Business Rules And Animal Welfare On Dewan Rakyat Agenda
The government's assurance to prevent ongoing construction projects from being impacted by the Sales and Services Tax (SST) and policies governing businesses run by foreign nationals are among the key matters in focus at today's Dewan Rakyat sitting. According to the Order Paper, Yusuf Abd Wahab (GPS-Tanjong Manis) has asked the Works Minister to specify which construction projects are exempted from SST and outline measures to ensure the tax does not disrupt ongoing works. He also queried whether the MADANI Government would consider a grace period before applying SST to the construction sector. Separately, Mohd Hasnizan Harun (PN-Hulu Selangor) will seek clarification from the Housing and Local Government Minister on the policy allowing foreign nationals to operate businesses, particularly in retail. He also raised concerns about premises registered under citizens' names but fully managed by foreign operators, including cases involving the use of a spouse's name. Attention will also be drawn to animal welfare issues, as Wong Chen (PH-Subang) asks the Agriculture and Food Security Minister if a national framework will be introduced to combat stray animal abuse and whether collaboration with NGOs, local authorities and experts is on the cards. Following the Q&A session, two bills – the Cross-Border Insolvency Bill 2025 and Education (Amendment) Bill 2025 – are set for first reading, while the second reading will cover amendments to the Poisons Act, the Offenders Compulsory Attendance Act and validation of ferry fees at Pengkalan Kubor. The second meeting of the Fourth Session of the 15th Parliament runs for 24 days until Aug 28. Related
