Rafizi Proposes Students Finish School by 16 to Enter Workforce by 21

In a bold call for education reform, former Economy Minister Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli has proposed that Malaysian students should complete secondary school by age 16. This shift, he believes, would allow young people to begin working by 21.

Adapting to an Ageing Population

During the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13) debate, Rafizi said Malaysia needs to rethink its education system. The country is heading toward becoming an ageing nation and must act now to strengthen its economy with a younger workforce.

“We must rethink the structure,” he said. “If our children finish school at 16, by the time they complete tertiary education or skills training, they can start working at 21. That gives us a more productive population while buying us time to manage ageing-related challenges.”

Early Education Plays a Critical Role

Rafizi highlighted the need for reforms to begin early in a child’s learning journey. He urged the government to invest in early childhood education, calling universal preschool at age five a crucial step.

He cited the “garbage in, garbage out” principle. In education, this means the quality of learning outcomes directly depends on the quality of foundational input.

He warned that without proper support between ages five and nine, many children may fall behind by Standard Four or Five. According to Rafizi, countries with strong education systems invest heavily in the early years—not just in secondary or university levels.

Universal Preschool to Ease Financial Pressure

Rafizi also pointed out the financial impact of early education. He said that universal, publicly funded preschool would ease the burden on young families, who often struggle with high preschool costs.

“This will ease the burden on young families who currently struggle with the high cost of preschool,” he said. “By ensuring every school in the country can offer preschool, we’ll be saving thousands of families over the coming years.”

He added that education reforms must start from the ground up.

“This is about building long-term foundations. If we want reforms, education is the place to start — and it must begin early.”

Earlier this year, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that preschool education would become compulsory from the age of five. This aligns with Rafizi’s push for early-stage reform.

Government Reviewing Retirement Age

In a related development, the government is also reviewing Malaysia’s mandatory retirement age, currently set at 60. As part of RMK13, Anwar stated that the policy may be updated to match the country’s demographic shift.

The goal is to increase participation from older adults and underrepresented groups in the workforce. Malaysia last changed the retirement age in 2012, raising it from 55 to 60.

Some officials have proposed extending it further to 65. Among them is Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform). She noted that better healthcare and longer life expectancy make this shift more feasible.

However, the proposal has its critics. The Malaysian Youth Council has pushed back, arguing that raising the retirement age may limit job opportunities for younger Malaysians.

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