Johor bahru: Starting next year, Johor Education Department will introduce face-to-face interviews for Year One and Form One admissions to Sekolah Rintis Bangsa Johor (SRBJ).
According to BERNAMA News Agency, State Education and Information Committee chairman Aznan Tamin stated that candidates will be assessed holistically, including academic performance, co-curricular involvement, character, personality, and overall activeness. This approach is aimed at ensuring that selected pupils are truly ready to benefit from the SRBJ ecosystem. The state government's goal is for SRBJ students to be at par with those from fully residential schools (SBP) and MARA Junior Science Colleges (MRSM).
Feedback since SRBJ's launch in February last year has been positive, with strong parental interest driven by confidence in the school's direction and upgrades under its first phase of infrastructure improvements. Facilities are now described as modern, comfortable, and efficient, comparable to private schools. The state aims to position SRBJ among Malaysia's top 20 daily schools in English and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) by 2031.
The education transformation plan for SRBJ has been carefully designed with the vision of making Johor a leading state in quality education systems and producing an excellent and competitive generation of Bangsa Johor by 2031 through early childhood education initiatives. Aznan also mentioned that the state government is refining plans for Tadika Rintis Bangsa Johor, in collaboration with the State Education Department, the Community Development Department (KEMAS), and the Johor Education Foundation, to serve as a feeder system for existing SRBJ schools.
Inspired by Johor Regent Tunku Mahkota Ismail, SRBJ is built on four pillars: mastery of English without sidelining the Malay language, STEM excellence, employability and character development, and internationally benchmarked competency assessments. Four schools have been selected for the 2025/2026 academic session - SMK Seri Kota Puteri 2 and SK Seri Kota Puteri 4 in Pasir Gudang, as well as SMK Tasek Utara and SK Tasek Utara in Johor Bahru.