The Ministry of Education (MOE) has assured that the reinstatement of the January-to-December academic calendar beginning with the 2026 school session will not disrupt school operations nationwide.
Deputy Education Minister, Wong Kah Woh said the move fulfils a commitment announced in May 2023 to restore the school calendar to its pre-Covid19 cycle, following several years of adjustments necessitated by the pandemic.
He explained that for the 2026 academic year, schools in Group A states – Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu – will commence the new session on Jan 11 and conclude on Dec 31, 2026. Meanwhile, schools in Group B states will begin classes a day later, on Jan 12, and also end on Dec 31.
“Reverting the academic calendar to a January–December cycle is not a simple exercise. It requires careful planning and detailed coordination to ensure that school operations continue smoothly without any disruption,” he said during a session of the Dewan Negara today.
Wong noted that the ministry has implemented the transition in stages since the 2023/2024 academic session, while strictly adhering to the minimum requirement of 190 schooling days as stipulated under the Education Act and related regulations.
He added that the restructuring of the academic calendar involved adjustments to teaching and learning schedules, major public examinations such as the Malaysian Certificate of Education (SPM), Malaysian Higher School Certificate (STPM) and Malaysian Higher Religious Certificate (STAM), as well as the alignment of school term breaks.
According to Wong, the ministry also conducted extensive engagement sessions with State Education Departments, District Education Offices, school administrators and teachers’ unions to gather feedback and address operational concerns ahead of full implementation.
“The ministry is confident that the return to the January–December academic cycle will bring optimal benefits to students, educators and the broader education ecosystem,” he said, adding that MOE remains open to feedback to assess the effectiveness of the implementation after the 2026 session begins.
-EDUCATION TVET ASIA