SCHOOL LIFE IN MALAYSIA
The school year in Malaysia beings in January. Primary education (a period of 6 years) and secondary education (5 years which encompasses 3 years of lower secondary and 2 years of upper secondary) make up 11 years of free education. The admission age to the first year of primary education is seven. Primary schooling is mandatory for all children between the ages of 7 and 12. Students sit for common public examinations at the end of primary, lower secondary and upper secondary levels.
The standard structure of schooling in Malaysia begins with preschool or kindergarten for children aged four to six but this is not compulsory. Primary education begins on the first day of January of the current school year, when the child reaches the age of six. Originally, only the first six years of primary education were compulsory, but since 2015 the final five years of secondary education have also become compulsory— bringing the total years of compulsory education to 11. The government provides free education for six years at primary level and five years at secondary level. At the end of secondary education, students take the public examination Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM). [Source: studymalaysia.com, March 16, 2015]
Secondary education is divided into lower secondary, consisting of Forms 1 to 3, and upper secondary, consisting of Forms 4 and 5. Students usually complete secondary school at age 17 with the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination. After secondary school, students may continue into pre-university pathways such as Form 6 leading to the STPM qualification, matriculation programs, foundation courses, or international programs such as A-Levels. [Source: Ministry of Education (MOE) Malaysia]
The education system in Malaysia is influenced by the British education system. School Exams in Malaysia: The Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM), the country’s standard pre-university examination., is used to gain places in Malaysian universities. SPM and STAM tests are also used. The STPM is the equivalent of A-levels. The SPM written test is in November. The STAM oral and written test are in October.
In Malaysia, some schools have struct dress codes. Public school students have to wear their hair to conform to strict codes. Booklets sometimes are sent to parents informing them about what is acceptable and what isn't. Boys are not allowed to have hair that touches their collars. Girls with long hair must wear blue or black ribbons. According to the rules students are prohibited from dying their hair or "styling their hair in a fashionable way that reflects current trends."
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Teachers in Malaysia
Teaching in Malaysia offers a stable, pensionable civil service career, but it is widely characterised by heavy workloads and a growing administrative burden. While the Ministry of Education (MOE) has introduced reforms aimed at reducing excessive non-teaching duties, many educators continue to report long working hours and significant time spent on paperwork, data reporting, and school-wide administrative tasks in addition to classroom instruction. [Source: Education International]
In terms of pay and benefits, teachers typically begin their careers with starting salaries of around RM2,500 ($630) per month, with gradual increments based largely on years of service rather than rapid performance-based advancement. As public servants, they receive a range of allowances, including housing support, cost-of-living adjustments, and, in some cases, additional payments for rural or hardship postings. Career advancement is possible through structured promotion pathways such as the “Guru Cemerlang” or Excellent Teacher scheme, although advancement opportunities can be limited by quotas.
Teachers: as of the early 2000s:
Primary: 148,000
Secondary: 102,139
Higher: 14,960
Student-Teacher Ratio: Primary: 19:1
Secondary: 19:1
[Source: D. R. Sar Desai, World Education Encyclopedia, Gale Group Inc., 2001]
Despite official guidelines suggesting teachers should spend most of their time on teaching, many report workloads that extend well beyond the standard school day, often reaching 40 to 80 hours per week. A significant portion of this time is absorbed by administrative requirements, including clerical duties, documentation, and organising compulsory school programmes. In response, the MOE has attempted to ease pressure through measures such as hiring support staff for examinations and boarding schools, as well as removing or streamlining certain digital reporting systems to reduce bureaucracy.
Teacher preparation and ongoing development are formally structured. New educators are typically trained through Teacher Education Institutes or postgraduate diploma pathways after completing university degrees. Continuous professional development is mandatory, with regular in-service training, pedagogical workshops, and curriculum updates provided by the ministry. Support networks, including teacher unions such as the National Union of the Teaching Profession, also play a role in helping educators manage classroom challenges and adapt to ongoing reforms in Malaysia’s education system.
Exams in Malaysian Schools
The Examination Syndicate, or Lembaga Peperiksaan (LP), is responsible for administering Malaysia’s national examinations. At the end of six years of primary education, pupils take a common public examination known as the Primary School Achievement Test, or Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (PSAT/UPSR). Core subjects include Bahasa Malaysia, English, Mathematics, and Science. Pupils in national-type primary schools are also required to sit for Mandarin or Tamil. [Source: studymalaysia.com, March 16, 2015]
Before 2014, students at the end of lower secondary education (Form 3) sat for the Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR), also known as the Lower Secondary Assessment (LSA). This examination covered subjects such as Bahasa Malaysia, English, Mathematics, Science, Geography, History, Living Skills, Islamic Education (for Muslim students), and Moral Education (for non-Muslim students), along with optional subjects including Mandarin, Tamil, and Arabic. From 2014 onwards, the PMR was abolished as a public examination and replaced by school-based assessment and the PT3 system.
At the end of upper secondary education, students take the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), or Malaysian Certificate of Education, which is the national examination for all Form 5 students and is broadly equivalent to the IGCSE or O Levels. Compulsory subjects include Bahasa Malaysia, English, Islamic Education (for Muslim students), Moral Studies (for non-Muslim students), History, Mathematics, and Science. Students also choose from a range of elective subjects spanning areas such as the arts, health, information and communication technology, languages and literature, technical and vocational studies, science and mathematics, and social sciences and religion.
From 2013, History became a compulsory pass subject in SPM alongside Bahasa Malaysia, and from 2016 English was also made a compulsory pass requirement. Students who fail any of these compulsory subjects do not receive a full SPM certificate.
Beyond SPM, the Ministry of Education offers two main free post-secondary pathways. One is the Sixth Form programme, lasting about one and a half years, which prepares students for the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM), equivalent to the GCE A Levels, or the Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia (STAM). The other is the Matriculation programme, a one-year course conducted at matriculation colleges under the Ministry of Education, which leads to the Malaysian matriculation certificate.
In 2012, STPM was restructured into a modular system, assessed over three semesters within the 1.5-year programme. Students are evaluated at the end of each semester, and assessment includes coursework and school-based projects, while the syllabus content remains unchanged.
University Entrance System in Malaysia
Malaysia does not rely on a single centralized university entrance examination similar to China’s Gaokao or the American SAT system. Instead, admission to universities is generally based on the successful completion of upper secondary and pre-university qualifications, together with proof of English-language proficiency. Students may enter higher education through several academic pathways depending on the institution and course of study. [Source: BSB International]
Students who wish to pursue higher education after secondary school must have the necessary academic qualifications and be able to fund their studies. School leavers with SPM qualifications can choose to obtain a pre-university qualification, such as sixth form, matriculation programmes or GCE 'A' levels, or study for a certificate or diploma at a higher education institution. The time needed to complete a pre-university programme varies depending on the programme type — students usually take one year to complete a matriculation programme or STAM, and one-and-a-half to two years for STPM and A-levels. [Source: studymalaysia.com, March 16, 2015]
One of the main routes into Malaysian public universities is the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM), the country’s standard pre-university examination. Another common pathway is the Matriculation program, a government-run one- to two-year preparatory course that provides a faster route into public universities. Many universities also offer one-year foundation programs designed to prepare students directly for undergraduate study in specific disciplines. International qualifications such as A-Levels, the International Baccalaureate (IB), and the Australian
Matriculation (AUSMAT) are also widely accepted by Malaysian universities. English-language proficiency is an important requirement for university admission. Most public universities and many private institutions require applicants to take the Malaysian University English Test (MUET), a standardized examination that evaluates listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. The examination is administered several times a year by the Malaysian Examinations Council. Some private universities also accept international English qualifications such as IELTS or TOEFL as alternatives to MUET.
Additional examinations or selection procedures may be required for highly competitive academic programs. Medical schools, for example, often require applicants to sit for the Medical Students Admission Test (MSAT-Malaysia). Interviews are also commonly conducted for selective or quota-based programs at public universities.
Applications to Malaysian public universities are generally processed through the centralized UPUOnline system, particularly for students holding STPM or Matriculation qualifications. In contrast, applications to private universities are submitted directly to the individual institution. International students applying to Malaysian universities must also complete visa and approval procedures through Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS).
Malaysia Doesn’t Have a Standard Secondary School Entrance Exam
Malaysia does not have a centralized entrance examination for admission into public secondary schools. Students in the national education system generally move automatically from public primary schools to public secondary schools based on their residential location. Registration for secondary school placement is handled through the Ministry of Education’s school registration system by teachers during the students’ final year of primary school. [Source: Portal Rasmi Kerajaan Malaysia, Facebook Malaysia Education Info]
In recent years, Malaysia abolished major standardized examinations at the primary and lower secondary levels, including the Primary School Achievement Test (UPSR) and the Form Three Assessment (PT3). These were replaced by school-based assessments and the End of Academic Session Test (UASA), which are intended to evaluate students more continuously rather than through a single national examination. The only compulsory nationwide public examination is now the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), taken at the end of secondary school in Form Five.
Private and international schools in Malaysia generally follow different admission procedures. Many conduct their own placement or entrance examinations to assess applicants’ academic abilities and determine the appropriate grade level. These assessments commonly test English proficiency, mathematics, reasoning skills, and general academic readiness. Some schools also require interviews and additional standardized testing as part of the admissions process.
Language in Malaysia’s Schools
According to the BBC: Malaysia is a multicultural society in which the majority population is Malay and Muslim, while just under one-third of citizens are Chinese, Indian, Eurasian, or members of indigenous groups. Education reflects this diversity. Although most schools use Malay, the national language, as the medium of instruction, a significant number of schools teach in Mandarin or Tamil. The right of minority communities to maintain mother-tongue education has long been a subject of public debate. [Source: BBC, 7 August 2019]
In Malaysia, the language of instruction varies across different types of schools in line with the country’s multilingual education system. In national schools, Bahasa Malaysia serves as the main medium of instruction, while English is a compulsory subject taught as a second language. In national-type or vernacular primary schools, instruction is delivered in either Mandarin for Chinese schools or Tamil for Tamil schools, with both Bahasa Malaysia and English taught as compulsory subjects.[Source: studymalaysia.com, March 16, 2015]
Bahasa Malaysia is the principal language of instruction. Chinese and Tamil are used only in primary education. English is taught as a second language. In 1994 English-language instruction was introduced to promote multiethnic socialization and to improve science and mathematics education. By 2003 legislation required that all mathematics and science courses be taught in English. Educational policies frequently have contentious overtones, often because of perceived ethnic discrimination.
Over time, language policy in Malaysia has undergone changes, particularly in the teaching of Science and Mathematics. In 2003, these subjects were temporarily taught in English across all primary schools. However, this policy was later reversed in 2012, with national schools returning to Bahasa Malaysia as the medium of instruction for Science and Mathematics, while vernacular schools reverted to Mandarin or Tamil for these subjects.
At the secondary level, Bahasa Malaysia remains the main medium of instruction, and English continues to be a compulsory subject in all schools. Both languages are considered core components of the curriculum. In addition, students may take other languages as elective subjects, including Mandarin, Tamil, and Arabic (for communication). Some schools also offer foreign languages such as French and selected indigenous languages.
Foreign system schools in Malaysia operate differently from the national system. These institutions use their own national or international languages of instruction. International schools typically follow global curricula and teach primarily in English, while expatriate schools generally adopt the curriculum and language of their respective home countries.
At the higher education level, language use varies by institution type. Most private higher education institutions use English as the primary medium of instruction. In contrast, public universities generally teach most undergraduate programs in Bahasa Malaysia, while postgraduate programs are more commonly conducted in English to support academic research and international collaboration.
Curriculum in Malaysian Schools
Public schools follow the national curriculum and are divided according to the language used for instruction. National schools, known as Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) at the primary level and Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) at the secondary level, use Bahasa Malaysia as the main language of instruction, while English is taught as a compulsory second language. Malaysia also maintains vernacular or national-type primary schools serving major ethnic communities. Chinese national-type schools, known as SJK(C), use Mandarin as the main medium of instruction, while Tamil national-type schools, or SJK(T), teach primarily in Tamil. Students in these schools are also required to study Bahasa Malaysia and English.[Source: Ministry of Education (MOE) Malaysia]
STPM Syllabus: 900 Pengajian Am, 910 Bahasa Malaysia, 911 Bahasa Cina, 912 Bahasa Tamil, 913 Bahasa Arab, 920 Literature In English, 922 Kesusasteraan Melayu, 930 Syariah, 931 Usuluddin, 940 Sejarah, 942 Geografi, 944 Ekonomi, 946 Pengajian Perniagaan, 948 Perakaunan, 950 Mathematics S, 954 Mathematics T, 956 Further Mathematics T, 958 Computing, 960 Physics, 962 Chemistry, 964 Biology, 966 Sains Sukan, 970 Seni Visual,
Malaysia schools are required to provide Islamic studies alongside secular education and teachers are closely regulated to "prevent individual religious zealots from poisoning young minds, and to make sure that students grow up to be law-abiding, productive members of the society." In April 2004, the Malaysian government announced that students would study the Koran in Arabic in school as part of a campaign to promote modern, progressive Islam. The idea behind it was that if children learn about Islam in school they would be less likely to be swayed by extremist ideologies.
Malaysia Ends Use of English in Science and Math Teaching
Liz Gooch wrote in the New York Times, “Malaysia will revert to using its national language, Bahasa Malaysia, to teach science and math starting in 2012, abandoning a six-year English policy that the government said had failed to improve student grades. The long-awaited decision, announced Wednesday, came after months of lobbying by Malay nationalists and was largely viewed as a political decision by local commentators. Malaysia has taught science and math in English since 2003, when former Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad implemented the English-language policy in an attempt to help graduates improve their English and employability. However, the government has found that academic grades in science and math have fallen since English was introduced. [Source: Liz Gooch, New York Times, July 8, 2009]
Students in rural districts, who are mainly Malay, suffered the most because their English proficiency was low, The Associated Press quoted Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin as saying. He said the government would recruit more teachers and increase English classes in an effort to improve English levels in schools. Professor James Chin, head of the school of arts and social sciences at Monash University in Malaysia, said the decision had also become a political issue. “They decided to buckle under the pressure from the Malay nationalists who argue that by teaching students in English you are neglecting the position of the national language,” said Mr. Chin, a political commentator. “I think what it shows is that the Malay nationalists feel that U.M.N.O. is very weak so that they can force U.M.N.O. to do a lot of things,” he added, referring to the United Malays National Organization.
Many parents and employers had called for English to be retained as the language of instruction. Concerns have risen in recent years that students’ English skills have declined, with employers citing this as a major weakness among graduates. A 2005 government survey found that there were almost 60,000 unemployed university graduates. The government is also investigating whether students should have to pass English in order to obtain the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia, the compulsory certificate of education for 16-year-olds.
A poll by the independent Merdeka Center showed that 58 percent of Malaysians wanted English to remain the language of instruction for science and math, the Malaysia Insider Web site reported this week. Some 69 percent of respondents believed students should have to pass English in order to receive their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia certificate.
Reuters reported:” Instead of teaching maths and science in English, the government will double the time spent on English lessons for primary children and increase that for secondary school children by half. It said it would hire an additional 14,000 teachers to teach English as a language. "I would not say it (English language instruction) was a complete failure, but it did not achieve what it was supposed to achieve," Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin told a news conference. [Source: Reuters, July 8, 2009 ]
“Critics said that the changes to use Bahasa Malaysia would not achieve the desired effect of enfranchising the rural poor or of boosting English language skills and said the move was largely political, aimed at appeasing the Malay majority. "What has not occurred to the authorities is that the education system requires very competent teachers," said Khoo Kay Kim, emeritus professor at the University of Malaya's history department, adding that politicians were driving the change due to their personal agenda.
“Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak was educated in an English-medium school in Kuala Lumpur and later in a private school in England, while opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, was educated at the elite English-speaking Malay College. Khoo also warned that the move could increase divisions along racial lines in this country of 27 million people where 55 percent are ethnic Malays and there are sizeable ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities. "There is an emphasis on separation, not integration, today," Khoo said.
Bullying in Schools in Malaysia
According to the Global Youth Online Behaviour Survey : A) 84 percent of Malaysian children have been bullied; B) 45 percent admit to bullying someone else. [Source: Global Youth Online Behaviour Survey by Microsoft Corp. The survey covered 7,600 children from age eight to 17. It was conducted from Jan 11-Feb 19, 2012, in 25 countries including Malaysia, parenthots.com, August 10, 2012]
M. Kumar wrote in The Star, “Bullying in schools has been a major issue with several high-profile cases. One of it involved a 13-year-old student, identified as Wong, who was bullied and humiliated by her classmates, which evoked outrage and public sympathy. Her ordeal was discovered when a three-minute videoclip went viral on the Internet. It showed Wong being slapped, splashed with water, strangled with a necktie, hit on the head with books and having her hair clipped by bullies in a Klang Valley school. Wong cried and pleaded to them to stop while her other classmates ignored her pleas. Her plight came to light in May last year when the clip was posted on Facebook and YouTube. The three bullies were suspended for 14 days by the school and made to apologise to Wong. [Source: M. Kumar, The Star, June 27, 2012]
In another incident on May 24, 2011, eight secondary school students were sent for a two-year community service programme with the state Welfare Department, with a RM1,500 bond for good behaviour after they were found guilty of trespassing into a school and beating up a student. Three Form Three, four Form Five pupils and a fourth former had trespassed into the school on the morning of April 7 to commit the offence. Barely a few days after the boys were sentenced, another Form Two student had his left ear partially torn after he was beaten up by a schoolmate who caused him to fall onto a window pane in his classroom.
In April 2013, three secondary school students in Seberang Jaya questioned over bullying video that went viral on YouTube, featuring a uniform-clad student being thrashed by his schoolmates. Derrick Vinesh wrote in The Star, “Central Seberang Prai district OCPD Asst Comm Azman Abd Lah said the three students, all aged 15 years, were believed to be classmates of the victim from a school in Seberang Jaya. "Although the victim did not lodge a report, we filed our own report based on the incident which was featured on the Internet. "We view such cases seriously and will take necessary action to ensure such incidences do not recur," he said. A 92-second video clip featuring several boys bullying their schoolmate was posted on the Facebook pages of the Malaysian Crime Awareness Campaign and the Polis Diraja Malaysia page. [Source: Derrick Vinesh, the Star, April 11, 2013]
“The clip shows the victim, who is carrying a school bag, standing in a corner inside a classroom as several other guys repeatedly throw punches and kicks at him before another student steps in to stop it. ACP Azman said police have recorded the statement of the victim and would investigate the case under Section 147 of the Penal Code for rioting. "Initial investigations show that the victim had earlier informed the school disciplinary teacher after noticing the students smoking in school. "We understand that the three bullies were expelled from school soon after the incident, which happened on March 4," he said.
In May 2011, singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg reported: “Another video apparently showing female Malaysian students tormenting a girl has surfaced online. STOMPer Toilet93 wants to create awareness so that "no one would ever have to go through such torment again". In the latest video, at least four female students, who appear to be in school uniform, confront a girl in a toilet. There are other students watching from the toilet stalls.They seem to be demanding money from the girl and taking turns to slap her when she could not pay. One of them even 'high-fived' another after slapping the girl, so that the next bully can take her turn. [Source: http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg, May 11, 2011]
STOMPer Toilet93 wrote: "I would really like to make this video known so that no one would ever have to go through such torment again. I hope the video will make these people reflect on themselves, for what they have done is truly inhumane. Their victims have to live forever with the painful memories of being bullied shadowing them. Just the thought of it is unbearable. Imagine what the victims of bullying go through. I would like to urge all those who are still silently suffering as victims to stand up. Tell an adult, whether it's your teachers or parents.”
Nanyang Siang Pau wrote in The Star,“Another video clip featuring school violence has surfaced on a social networking site. The clip shows three students fighting in a school compound two in uniform and another clad in a T-shirt. It is learnt the students are from Chan Wa High School in Seremban, Negri Sembilan. The 60-second clip shows a group of male students, all in uniform, standing in a group. Then, a boy commands: “Ready? Good, let's start the one-on-one fight!” Two students then start fighting but later another boy joins in to help his friend. The fight stops when the losing student shouts: “Enough, enough!” [Source: Nanyang Siang Pau, The Star, May 17, 2011]
Some widely viewed videos from Malaysia in 2007 depicted secondary school violence included a chair-throwing incident from Kota Tinggi, Johor and female students slapping another girl from Miri, Sarawak.
Efforts to curb the bullying problem have included a fun “psychological board-like game”, which was developed by Universiti Sains Malaysia researchers from the School of Education aimed at increasing awareness of and understanding the scourge.
Canings, Violence and Deaths at Islamic Schools in Malaysia
Authorities in Johor have acknowledged concerns over the use of corporal punishment in religious schools, following a serious abuse case involving an 11-year-old student at a private Islamic institution. Johor Islamic Religious Affairs committee chairman Abdul Mutalip Abd Rahim said caning is a common disciplinary practice in such schools, often used to manage students who are enrolled for religious education or due to behavioural issues at home. However, he stressed that punishment must not cross the line into harm, warning that excessive violence resulting in injury would constitute abuse. [Source: Nnabila Ahmad, The Star, April 25, 2017
The case has drawn attention after reports that the student suffered repeated beatings allegedly by an assistant warden. According to family members, the boy had been enduring mistreatment for some time and had documented his experiences in a diary, describing physical punishment and distress. He reportedly expressed a desire to leave the school, writing that he “could not stand it anymore” and appealing for help to transfer elsewhere.
Relatives also described a troubling pattern of discipline at the school, including claims that some students would accept punishment early to avoid harsher treatment later in the day. The boy’s condition later deteriorated severely, with complications including infections and organ failure requiring intensive medical treatment. He remains in critical condition under hospital care. Police have arrested and remanded a 29-year-old assistant warden in connection with the case, who reportedly had a prior criminal record. The school, described by state officials as a leading institution, has come under scrutiny as investigations continue into how the alleged abuse occurred and whether proper safeguards were in place to protect students.
In March 2012, Associated Press reported: “A Malaysian court sentenced an Islamic school warden to 18 years' imprisonment for causing the death of a 7-year-old boy, a government lawyer said, in what is believed to be one of the worst student abuse cases in the country. Hanif Mohamad Ali tied up, beat and strangled the boy at a private Islamic school in northern Perlis state where his job was to discipline children. The schoolboy suffered a seizure before falling into a coma and died in hospital three days later. [Source: AP, March 7, 2012]
“Deputy public prosecutor Noorin Badaruddin said Hanif, 26, escaped the death penalty after the court on Monday reduced a murder charge to culpable homicide not amounting to murder. This came at the end of the prosecution case on the grounds that they had failed to prove a prima-facie case against Hanif, she said. The warden subsequently pleaded guilty to the lesser charge. Noorin said Hanif wanted to punish the boy on suspicion that he stole money from a classmate, but it got out of hand. She said the cause of death in March 2011 was due to a lack of oxygen following the strangulation.
Judge Mohamad Zaki Abdul Wahab said he hoped the sentence would be a lesson to educators to be more careful in meting out punishment. "What should be done must be under the concept of education and not inhumane. It must not be reckless and excessive," Zaki was quoted as saying by national Bernama news agency. Bernama said Hanif, wearing a skullcap, was seen crying and embracing his friends after the judgment. Prosecutors had said Hanif was know to be strict during his two years' at the school's boarding hostel, but had no record of student abuse. His role was to discipline children and prevent any untoward behavior.
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Text Sources: New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Times of London, Lonely Planet Guides, Library of Congress, Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, Compton’s Encyclopedia, The Guardian, National Geographic, Smithsonian magazine, The New Yorker, Time, Newsweek, Reuters, AP, AFP, Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic Monthly, The Economist, Foreign Policy, Wikipedia, BBC, CNN, and various books, websites and other publications.
Last updated May 2026