PKB TO DRIVE EFFORTS TO EXPAND ACCESS TO QUALITY READING MATERIALS UNDER RPM

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 22 (Bernama) -- Perbadanan Kota Buku (PKB) will drive various efforts supporting the core thrusts of the Malaysian Education Blueprint (RPM) 2026–2035, particularly in expanding access to quality reading materials and promoting a reading culture through digital platforms and a more comprehensive distribution network.

PKB chief executive officer Adibah Omar said, as an implementing partner within the ecosystem, the corporation fully supports the RPM, which has been outlined as a national strategic plan encompassing the entire education ecosystem, from school to higher education levels.

“PKB will continue to strengthen literacy development through the expansion of digital platforms and the distribution of relevant reading materials to reduce access gaps, particularly in rural areas and communities in need,” she said in a statement today.

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Adibah said she took note of Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek’s emphasis on PKB’s role in positioning books as a bridge to knowledge equity.

She said that through the implementation of the Book Voucher initiative in 2024 and 2025, access to reading materials reached the highest level in the country’s history, ensuring that students and teachers in remote areas such as Nanga Ulu, Sarawak and Kinabatangan, Sabah enjoy access to the same titles as those in urban areas.

She said the effort reflects the principle of education equity that forms the core of the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) agenda.

As a continuation of these efforts, Adibah said PKB supports the implementation of the contribution of one million exercise books made from recycled paper to students from B40 families.

“This year, the initiative will benefit selected students in Perlis, Kedah, Penang and Perak through strategic collaboration between PKB and 27 corporate companies, with each student receiving 10 exercise books to support their daily learning needs,” she said.

Adibah said that in efforts to cultivate interest in reading from an early age, PKB also supports the implementation of Mini Kota Buku Cilik in line with the New Preschool Curriculum 2026, aimed at creating a learning environment that encourages consistent reading practices at the preschool level, in addition to supporting early literacy development in a more structured manner.

At the same time, she said PKB will collaborate with the MOE in providing digital Braille devices to students with visual impairments, to ensure more equitable and inclusive access to learning.

According to Adibah, as the lead agency in developing the national book ecosystem, PKB is committed to ensuring that every policy and mandate outlined by the Education Minister is implemented effectively, inclusively and with long-term impact.

“All these initiatives are also supported through the development of BookCapital.my as a one-stop centre for the national book ecosystem, with books and reading continuing to serve as key drivers of human capital development and support for the national education agenda,” she said.

The Malaysian Education Blueprint (RPN) 2026–2035, launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim last Tuesday, represents an education reform initiative aimed at building a future generation that is more equitable, competitive and values-based.

The RPN encompasses the Malaysian Higher Education Blueprint administered by the Ministry of Higher Education, and the RPM under the purview of the Ministry of Education.

-- BERNAMA