Every student must take core subjects, including Bahasa Melayu, English, History, Islamic Studies (for Muslim students) or Moral Education (for non-Muslim students), and Mathematics.

The ministry has systematically abolished major primary-level standardized exams (like the UPSR) and lower secondary exams (PT3) to move away from an exam-centric culture. The focus has shifted to School-Based Assessment (PBD) to evaluate critical thinking, teamwork, and creativity rather than rote memorization.

: There is an ongoing effort to balance the mastery of the national language (Bahasa Melayu) with global competence in English through programs like the Dual Language Programme (DLP) for science and mathematics.

Some of the benefits of the Malaysian education system include: