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that address their needs. Wave 2 will see the piloting of these new
programmes, with nationwide scale-up occurring in Wave 3.
Wave 1 (2013 to 2015): identifying areas for improvement
Over the next three years, the Ministry will benchmark local
programmes against other systems with top-performing programmes
for gifted students to identify areas for improvement and replicate
successful practices. Additionally, the Ministry will establish working
partnerships with the private sector and leading research institutions
to start developing its own set of gifted and talented programmes.
Wave 2 (2016 to 2020): Piloting new gifted and talented
programmes
Using the research and partnerships established in Wave 1, the
Ministry will start exploring and piloting three programmes—two
for high achievers (typically estimated in research to form 15% of the
student population), and one for gifted students (1% of the student
population):
▪ The accelerated curriculum programme will allow high
achievers to complete secondary school and take the SPM in four
rather than five years, and to undergo more enrichment activities
such as independent research projects. Students will be selected for
entry after UPSR, and will be regularly tested each year to ensure
the programme is beneficial and has no developmental drawbacks;
▪ Laluan Pintas will allow students to complete Years 1 and 2
in a single year. Students are tested at the beginning of Year 1
for employing a standards-based test developed by Universiti
Kebangsaan Malaysia, with typically 10 - 15% of test-takers meeting
Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013 - 2025
Chapter 4 Student Learning
the required standard for admission each year. Upon successful
completion of the programme, students will be promoted to Year 3
in the following academic year; and
▪ The gifted and talented programme for the 1% of the student
population that is gifted in a specific area (e.g., Mathematics,
Linguistics, Music, Visual Arts). Students will have a tailored,
flexible education programme that enables them to receive
instruction from experts in their field while still participating in
mainstream schooling.
Wave 3 (2021 to 2025): scaling up success
During the final phase of the Roadmap, the Ministry will refine the
design of the three pilot programmes and gradually scale up the pilot
programmes nationwide.
special needs education
In Malaysia, students with special needs include students with
visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech difficulties, physical
disabilities, multiple disabilities and learning disabilities such as
autism, Down’s Syndrome, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
and dyslexia. The United Nations estimates that an average of 10% of
a developing country’s population lives with a disability. In Malaysia,
only 1% of the population has been identified as having special needs
and are enrolled in suitable special education programmes. This
figure is likely to be an underestimate of the number of children in the
country who actually have special needs, primarily because people with
disabilities rarely come forward to register themselves.
In line with existing policy, students with special needs can currently
choose from three different schooling options:
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Image by Yiie, Flickr CC 2.0