MOE: Parents Will be Fined RM5k or Jailed 6 Months if Children Don’t Complete Secondary School

Malaysian parents will be held responsible if their children fail to complete secondary school education.

They will be fined RM5,000 and imprisoned for 6 months, according to the Ministry of Education (MOE).

For illustration purposes only

The Ministry submitted the Education Amendment Bill 2025 for the first reading in Parliament on Monday (June 28), and once the amendment is approved, parents will be held legally responsible if their children do not sit through secondary school.

According to the Deputy Minister of the Education Ministry, Wong Kah Woh, a new Section 32A(1) was added to the Act, empowering the Minister of Education to make secondary education compulsory by order published in the Gazette, while Section 32A(2) of the Act states that parents whose children are Malaysian citizens and residing in Malaysia must ensure that their children are enrolled in secondary education institutions and complete their secondary education.

Section 32A(3) of the Act provides that the Minister may, by order published in the Gazette, exempt any student or group from the requirements of compulsory education if the ministry considers it appropriate, and in the interest of the students or the public.

The Ministry may also revoke the exemption or revoke, amend or impose additional conditions at any time at his discretion.

Section 32A(4) of the Act provides that any parent who violates section (2) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding RM5,000, or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months, or both, as reported by Sin Chew.

No more dropping out of school for children and teenagers. What do you think of this?

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