“Under the 13th Malaysia Plan, new large-scale housing projects must include school construction to tackle overcrowding. RM67 billion is allocated for education upgrades and infrastructure.”
Kuala Lumpur, 01st August 2025, 01.58pm – The construction of schools will become a mandatory condition for planning approval of new large-scale housing projects under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced today.
The move aims to resolve longstanding issues of student overcrowding and insufficient land for education infrastructure, especially in densely populated urban areas, Anwar said during the tabling of the 13MP in Parliament.
“To ensure adequate access to education, school construction will be a prerequisite for planning approval in major residential developments,” he stated, as reported by The Malaysian Reserve.
As part of the 13MP, the government is allocating RM67 billion for the education sector — one of the largest allocations to date — which will fund the construction of new schools, upgrades of existing facilities, and improvements to educational infrastructure. This includes Community Development Department (KEMAS) centres and facilities at public higher learning institutions.
Anwar also shared that 1,200 dilapidated schools across Malaysia have already been upgraded as of 2025, according to New Straits Times.
To address land scarcity in urban areas, vertical school development will be expanded, offering multi-storey school designs to maximise space efficiency.
The Prime Minister emphasized the government’s commitment to achieving higher education participation, stating that preschool and secondary school enrolment targets will be raised to 98%, surpassing the current global average.
