M’sians should start work at 21 to tackle ageing population problem, says ex-minister Rafizi Ramli

Former Malaysian Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli, still a Member of Parliament, suggested that students should complete secondary school by the age of 16, so that they can support the aging workforce.

In Malaysia, formal education typically lasts 10 to 11 years, with students attending secondary school for five years, compared to four years in Singapore.

After secondary school, students attend one to two years of post-secondary education, before they can choose to enter university, which takes three to five years to attain a bachelor’s degree.

"We must rethink the structure,” he said, as quoted by New Straits Times, during a debate on the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) – the nation’s five-year development roadmap.

“If our children finish school at 16, by the time they complete tertiary education or skills training, they can start working at 21.

That gives us a more productive population while buying us time to manage ageing-related challenges.”

Prioritising universal preschool

He explained that the country was already prioritising structural reforms in education, especially in the early childhood field.

According to him, this is important as a child risks falling behind if his development is not properly supported between the ages of five and nine.

"If we don't invest early, we'll be dealing with the consequences later. In education, it's garbage in, garbage out – and by the time students reach Standard Four or Five (Primary Four or Five in Singapore’s system), it may be too late,” he said.

He added that countries with strong education systems prioritise the early years over upper secondary and university.

"That's why, if you look at the 13MP, we didn't even specify figures – how many billions and so on – but the commitment is to provide universal preschool education.

This means that regardless of who forms the government in the future, there must be a priority to ensure that within the next five to ten years, schools across the country are able to provide universal preschool services to all.”

Need to make preschool affordable

Rafizi also argued that universal preschool would keep costs low for young families.

"This will ease the burden on young families who currently struggle with the high cost of preschool. By ensuring every school in the country can offer preschool, we'll be saving thousands of families over the coming years,” he said.

"This is about building long-term foundations. If we want reforms, education is the place to start – and it must begin early.”

Malaysia currently offers government-funded preschool options, which students can attend for free, while some preschools can cost upwards of RM 2,000 (S$610) per month.

For comparison, government preschools in Singapore, such as the Ministry of Education (MOE) Kindergarten, charge citizens S$160 per month. Meanwhile, the cost of private preschools ranges from S$640 a month to over S$3,000.

Part of ongoing cabinet-level discussions

The following day, Higher Education Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir explained that Rafizi’s proposal is part of ongoing cabinet-level discussions on education policy.

"This is not just about one idea from a Member of Parliament. The Economy Ministry has been tasked with gathering feedback from all ministries, and what Rafizi raised is part of the information we have compiled,” he said.

He noted that the proposal reflects a global trend where formal schooling no longer follows a rigid 10-year structure.

"It can begin as early as preschool, and the overall length can be shortened to allow students to move on to higher levels of learning without unnecessary delays.”

Preschool made compulsory

Malaysia’s education sector will be allocated a total of RM67 billion under 13MP, to be used for building new schools and upgrading old campuses, Bernama reported.

With that, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has announced that the government is committed to making preschool education compulsory from the age of five and aims to raise preschool and secondary school enrolment to 98 per cent.

As of 2024, Malaysia’s preschool enrolment rate for children aged five and above stands at 93.5 per cent, falling within the universal standard, which is between 88 and 95 per cent.

Top image via Rafizi Ramli/Facebook & Motherhood.com.my