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Kota Kinabalu: The EnglishBah Learning Initiative (ENGLEARN), a civil society organisation advocating for education rights of marginalised communities in Sabah, has called for immediate and collective reforms to address systemic failures in Malaysia’s education system.

“ENGLEARN stand not only as advocates for education rights but also as champions of social harmony,” they said in a statement.

“Recent troubling events have shaken our nation and we share in the deep regret and sorrow these issues have caused. This is not merely unfortunate, however, it is a systemic failure that demands our collective attention,” they added. 

The Sandakan-based organisation outlined five areas requiring government attention, namely inclusive policymaking, systemic reform over cosmetic solutions, parental involvement, de-politicisation of education and upholding integrity. 

For inclusive policymaking, they questioned the credibility and transparency of the recently announced National Education Council (MPN), urging the Ministry of Education to ensure the Council is presided over by credible experts who genuinely represent the people.

The group said students, educators and parents must be part of policy conversations that affect their lives.

For systemic reform over cosmetic solutions, the organisation criticised recent initiatives such as the Jalur Gemilang student badge and anti-bullying slogans as surface-level gestures that bring little value to character development. 

They called for genuine reforms including reforming the national syllabus, redefining success beyond grades, empowering teachers with greater autonomy, prioritising school safety and eliminating irrelevant programmes.

For parental involvement, ENGLEARN pointed out a growing distrust between parents and the education system, urging parents to take shared responsibility in their children’s educational journey rather than placing the entire burden on educators. 

“Education does not take place only in schools, it begins at home,” they said. 

The group oppose attempts to use schools as platforms for political agendas, calling on the government to set aside political differences through MPN and the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2026-2035 to ensure all voices are included in strengthening the education system.

They also condemned the normalisation of inappropriate behaviour in schools, including rape culture and harmful jokes, calling for a collective awakening to rebuild a culture of integrity, respect and accountability.

“We call for immediate and united action from all to transform our education system. A system where every child feels safe, included and supported, where every educator feels valued, heard and respected and where every parent feels confident that their children are thriving in school,” they said. 

They said without active participation from all parties in policymaking, Malaysia’s education system risks becoming a crushed hope rather than a shining example for the nation’s future.