Experts urge focus on teaching, learning in RM69bil education budget

Experts have welcomed Budget 2027’s RM2 billion allocation for school repairs and maintenance, but urged the education ministry to channel the bulk of its RM69 billion budget towards strengthening teaching and learning.

Parent Action Group for Education (PAGE) chairman Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim welcomed the doubling of school maintenance funding from last year but warned that physical infrastructure alone will not resolve the deeper problems facing Malaysian schools.

“Fixing our schools requires looking beyond brick and mortar,” she told FMT.

“By investing in better teaching, catching learning gaps early, and giving struggling students real academic wins, Malaysia can simultaneously resolve two crises: ending school tragedies and building a capable, functioning generation.”

Azimah argued that academic disengagement was a major factor in school disruption, saying students who struggled with basic literacy and numeracy risked becoming frustrated, isolated and alienated.

“This budget must be dynamically extended to support classroom teaching and learning (PdP) to directly combat student disengagement, which lies at the root of escalating school violence, homicide and suicide,” she said.

Azimah also called for clearer spending targets, transparent reporting and measurable outcomes, saying parents would want the increased allocation to produce tangible improvements.

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia academic Anuar Ahmad also called for greater attention to teaching quality, saying the government should prioritise retraining teachers to meet changing classroom demands.

“If we want the quality of our education to improve, then students’ learning must be given priority,” he said.

Anuar said teachers who have been in the profession for between 20 to 30 years need opportunities to update their teaching methods, particularly with the growing use of information technology and artificial intelligence.

“Teachers are still teaching using outdated methods. Students become bored, and ultimately the quality of learning declines,” he said.

Under the budget announced on Friday, funding for school maintenance and repairs was doubled to RM2 billion, while nearly RM1.3 billion was allocated to upgrade 682 dilapidated schools, particularly in Sabah and Sarawak

The budget also includes provisions for a new matriculation college in Marang, Terengganu, as well as increased early schooling assistance of RM150 to RM200 per pupil.

Elsewhere, RM870 million was allocated for the Supplementary Food Programme, aimed at benefiting 800 students.

Other initiatives announced under the budget include RM50 increases in both the special education pupil allowance and special education teaching incentive.

Around RM445 million was also allocated to the Orang Asli development department for the construction of preschools in Gua Musang, Kelantan, and a hostel for Orang Asli children in Kinta, Perak, to house students who live far from schools.

On-the-ground improvements needed

Meanwhile, Melaka Action Group for Parents in Education (Magpie) chairman Mak Chee Kin described this year’s education budget — up from RM66.2 billion in 2026 — as “encouraging” but warned that allocations must translate into on-the-ground improvements.

“A bigger education budget is welcome, but success should not be measured by the amount allocated alone,” he said.

National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) secretary-general Fouzi Singon said maintenance funding would have to cover approximately 10,200 schools, alongside teacher education institutes, vocational colleges and other educational facilities.

He urged the ministry to prioritise spending based on urgency, safety risks and the needs of individual institutions to ensure funds were distributed fairly and effectively.

“While school safety has become a major concern, the ministry must identify effective, long-term solutions to prevent recurring incidents.

“CCTV installation is one of the measures that can help facilitate early intervention, but it must be complemented by other preventive measures,” said Fouzi.

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