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For Malaysian children, homeschooling needs an exemption from the Education Minister. Primary education is compulsory, and Parliament voted in 2025 to let the Minister make secondary education compulsory too.
This guide covers the Education Act, who needs an exemption and how to apply, what it means for expat families and online schooling, exams in Kuala Lumpur and Penang, costs, and routes to university.
For a Malaysian child, only with an exemption. The Education Act 1996 makes primary education compulsory, and the Minister can exempt a pupil.
| Law | What it says |
|---|---|
| Education Act 1996, section 29A(2) | Every parent who is a Malaysian citizen living in Malaysia must enrol a child who is six on 1 January at a primary school, and keep them there for the six years of compulsory education |
| Education Act 1996, section 29A(3) | The Minister may, by order in the Gazette, exempt any pupil or class of pupils from compulsory education, absolutely or on conditions |
| Education Act 1996, section 29A(4) | A parent who doesn't comply commits an offence, with a fine of up to RM5,000, up to six months in prison, or both |
| Education (Amendment) Act 2025 | Passed by the Dewan Rakyat on 30 July and the Dewan Negara on 10 September 2025. A new section 32A lets the Minister make secondary education compulsory by order in the Gazette, with the same exemption power and penalty, and the duty moves to parents of children who are Malaysian citizens living in Malaysia |
Primary education has been compulsory since 2003. Secondary education becomes compulsory once the Minister makes an order under section 32A, so check whether that order is in force before you plan.
During the debate, the Education Minister said homeschooling would be considered for exemption case by case, depending on the needs of each child, The Star reported.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) takes homeschooling applications through each State Education Department (Jabatan Pendidikan Negeri).
MOE's homeschooling pageApplications go to the State Education Department on MOE's form. The Director-General of Education reviews each case and passes it to the Minister for a decision.
MOE describes homeschooling as a way for children with chronic health conditions who need close care at home to receive formal education, and calls it a privilege rather than a right.
Among the conditions MOE lists, the applicant must be a Malaysian citizen with a professional teaching qualification, and one parent must teach the child full time at home. Officers from MOE, the State Education Department or the District Education Office visit the home.
MOE applies professional circulars from 2002 and 2005 on compulsory primary education and on processing exemption applications. Both predate the 2025 amendment, so ask your State Education Department how it now handles secondary-age applications.
The compulsory education duty in the Act applies to Malaysian citizens, so it doesn't cover foreign families living in Malaysia.
How the 2025 amendment changes section 29ASection 29A applies to parents who are Malaysian citizens, and the 2025 amendment moves the test to children who are Malaysian citizens. A child who isn't Malaysian falls outside the duty either way, so studying with an international online school doesn't conflict with it. Check any conditions attached to your family's passes.
If your child is a Malaysian citizen living in Malaysia, the duty applies and homeschooling needs the Minister's exemption. Enrolling with a foreign online school, CambriLearn included, doesn't count as enrolment at a school under the Act.
The Minister said the new secondary rules cover registered private schools, including international and expatriate schools, so a Malaysian child can meet the duty at one of those schools.
If your child's education needs to move with you between countries, speak to a consultant about where you'll be living, because the rules depend on the country you live in.
