PUTRAJAYA: The nation’s education system should focus on balanced moral and humanitarian values as well as academic achievements, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Speaking at the Monthly Assembly with staff of the Prime Minister’s Department, he said the nation’s educational legacy is too bound to Western thought that emphasises material gain and capital accumulation without assessing the moral dimension of human development.
“We have inherited an education system and an economic understanding tied to the thinking of Western economists,” he said on Monday (Oct 13).
He said if Western thinking is used as a reference, it must be understood in its entirety and not taken selectively as this creates an imbalance in younger people’s understanding.
“Even if we take from the West, take it as a whole. If we only scoop up the dominant thinking, namely capitalism as an ideology, then our children’s understanding will be influenced,” he said.
Anwar said the most glaring weakness in today’s education system is the tendency to focus solely on academic achievement without giving space to the formation of values and moral principles.
“Education is only based on knowledge. Not on values, not on moral and ethical principles. So there is a weakness,” he said.
Anwar added that when education does not emphasise values, society faces social problems, including the increasingly worrying issue of bullying in schools.
“I just announced (Budget 2026) on Friday, and made an announcement about bullying. The decision has been made. The minister has mentioned it. That is why I emphasise the issue of bullying,” said Anwar
He said such issues show education has yet to produce people who understand values, empathy and responsibility towards others.
Anwar said human development must begin with an education system that balances knowledge and moral values to produce a generation that excels academically and is of good character and just in spirit.
“This development must first drive growth, but for what concept? For the holistic development of the human being,” he said.
Anwar said this balance also requires an education system grounded in Islamic values such as justice, ihsan and concern for the poor, so pupils understand the true purpose of knowledge and progress.
“Moreover, for us as Muslims, the understanding of zakat, justice and ihsan, the greatness of the Khulafa al‑Rashidin, or the special strength of Umar Abdul Aziz lies in their compassion,” he said.
Anwar said values and morals must be the foundation of every education policy so students do not merely chase academic success, but build moral strength and empathy towards society.
“The building of the whole human being is also determined by values. Not materialism, not capital, but values,” he said.
