MOE to recognise prison school co-curricular activities for university entry

KAJANG — The Education Ministry (MOE) is reviewing mechanisms to award merit for co-curricular activity participation among students attending schools within prisons, in an effort to support their university admission prospects.

The initiative recognises that incarcerated students face unique barriers to traditional educational pathways and seeks to broaden recognition of their extracurricular achievements alongside academic performance. Prison school programmes currently operate across several facilities in Malaysia, providing educational opportunities to detainees.

The ministry's examination of co-curricular recognition reflects broader efforts to ensure that students in alternative educational settings are not disadvantaged when applying to tertiary institutions. Officials are assessing how such participation can be documented and weighted appropriately in university entrance evaluations.

This development comes as part of ongoing discussions between education authorities and correctional institutions to enhance the quality and accessibility of educational programmes within prisons. The MOE has indicated it will work with relevant stakeholders to establish clear guidelines for recognising such activities in future university applications.