Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has called for bold and meaningful reforms to the country’s education system, saying incremental changes are no longer sufficient to meet future challenges.

PM Anwar made the remarks on Tuesday while chairing the first 2026 meeting of the National Education Council (Majlis Pendidikan Negara), where discussions focused on the future direction of school and higher education.

The meeting emphasized improving the quality of education at the district level, strengthening the national education agenda and developing a skilled workforce in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to meet the demands of the future job market.

Anwar said the National Education Council was established not merely to adapt to the existing system but to lead transformative changes that would keep Malaysia’s education system relevant and effective.

He also stressed the need to enhance educational content and curriculum while strengthening English proficiency as a second language. At the same time, he underscored the importance of preserving the national language, culture, values and ethics, describing them as the foundation of the Malaysia Madani vision.

The prime minister further said the education sector should be assessed objectively, with due consideration given to the views of stakeholders and the expertise of education specialists to better prepare future generations for real-world challenges.

Warning against complacency, Anwar said progress would be hindered if the country remained satisfied with the current system.

He called for a mindset of change, the courage to implement reforms and sustained efforts to further improve the quality of education.