Sarawak’s education ministry has confirmed it will maintain its current dual language programme (DLP) assessments for Year 6 students, despite calls for a review following the federal government’s rollout of a standardised Year 4 assessment this year.
The state ministry emphasised that the DLP assessments were introduced with approval from the federal education authorities and comply with the Malaysia Agreement 1963, which grants Sarawak autonomy over education. “Continuing with the existing framework is crucial to prevent confusion among teachers, students, and parents, as the system is already well established and widely accepted,” it said, according to Borneo Post.
Officials also highlighted that the DLP has strengthened students’ mastery of subjects and language skills. The programme was developed after consultations with a wide range of stakeholders, including government agencies, schools, universities, parents, and students.
In October 2025, 29,177 Year 6 pupils from 1,050 schools across Sarawak took part in the state’s first-ever DLP assessment. The programme mandates that all primary schools teach science and mathematics in English, and the state government has expanded the DLP to secondary schools starting with the 2026 Form 1 cohort.
