Prior to the opening of the pilot Bangsa Johor schools on 17th February 2025, more than 200 primary and secondary school teachers from Johor were sent to Singapore’s National Institute of Education for training.
The goal of the Bangsa Johor school initiative is to improve STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education while producing graduates who are fluent in English.
The project, which was conceived by His Royal Highness Tunku Ismail, the Regent of Johor, also seeks to develop a strong Bangsa Johor identity, a uniting idea that encourages loyalty, state pride, and harmony among Johoreans of all races, religions, and faiths.
In order to differentiate Johor’s policies and aspirations from federal approaches, the Bangsa Johor identity is associated with initiatives including economic projects, education reforms, and robust state-led government.
“Future generations will have greater opportunities thanks to high-quality education. In his royal address, HRH Tunku Ismail addressed the third session of the 15th state legislative assembly on 9th May last year, saying, “If this cannot be done nationally, let Johor lead the way.”
Tunku Ismail posted on his Facebook page, “I have prioritised improving education, the economy, state infrastructure, and employment opportunities.”
Johor Education and Information Committee chairman Aznan Tamin said that schools in Bangsa Johor will not hinder with the national curriculum.
However, the mandatory 112 STEM hours per year—nearly double the national minimum requirement, are needed of more than 2,300 secondary students and more than 500 primary kids from four chosen schools.
He said the aim was to strengthen students’ English-language proficiency, empower Bahasa Malaysia, and improve their skills in the STEM field.
Aznan said the initiative was taken in alignment with the Johor Maju 2030 state-government vision to transform the state into a developed region within the next five years.
Four schools were selected for the Bangsa Johor pilot project: SMK Kota Puteri 2 and SK Kota Puteri 4 in Pasir Gudang, and SMK Tasek Utara and SK Tasek Utara in Johor Bahru. The schools were selected based on strong academic performance, administrative efficiency, and adaptability to enhanced curricula.
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