A teacher in Penang logs onto the National Training Week portal at 7am, scrolling through dozens of AI courses now available at no cost. In Bangkok, a university student accesses the same platform, browsing digital marketing modules. From Hanoi to Jakarta, learners are discovering that Malaysia has thrown open its national training resources to the entire ASEAN region – and everything is free for the year.
The National Training Week (NTW) 2025 breaks from business as usual. For the first time, a national skills platform extends across borders, offering every course on the portal – from physical training sessions to online modules, self-paced e-learning, hybrid programmes and personal coaching – to anyone with an ASEAN passport. The platform recorded over two million participants this year, doubling its original target of one million.
The Skills Challenge That Countries Cannot Ignore
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Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim made the stakes clear during NTW’s opening ceremony on 14 June. ‘A country cannot afford to remain stagnant by relying on outdated training models and traditional approaches,’ he said. ‘Our teachers must be exposed to AI, just as our children must be educated in it. Only then can we begin to close the skills gap and ensure our people are prepared for what lies ahead.’
The urgency is backed by regional data. Microsoft committed to upskill 2.5 million people across ASEAN with AI capabilities by 2025, acknowledging widespread gaps in digital readiness. The company’s assessment aligns with broader regional findings that show ASEAN’s AI talent pool has tripled since 2016 but still falls short of industry demands.
Teachers Get First Access to AI Training
The AI-4-Educators programme sits at the centre of Malaysia’s approach. Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong explained the rationale: ‘We have collaborated with the Ministry of Education Malaysia to launch an initiative to empower artificial intelligence among educators.’ The programme runs through the Learning Management System platform, a joint effort between education authorities and the Human Resource Development Corporation.
Nearly 400,000 educators participated in AI training through this initiative alone – a figure that earned recognition in the Malaysia Book of Records as the largest AI training programme in the country. Teachers reported increased confidence in using AI for lesson planning and administrative tasks, though ongoing support remains essential for sustained implementation.
This focus on teacher training aligns with broader developments in AI-powered education platforms that personalise learning experiences for students worldwide.
Opening National Resources Across Borders
Malaysia’s decision to extend NTW access to all ASEAN citizens marks a departure from typical national training programmes. While Singapore’s SkillsFuture offers comprehensive lifelong learning to its own citizens since 2015, and the Philippines runs digital inclusion programmes for underserved communities, cross-border access to national training resources remains uncommon.
The scale speaks to ambition: over 71,000 free courses available nationwide and online , with training valued at approximately RM2.5 billion. The programme operates until December 2025, providing sustained access beyond the week-long promotional campaign that concluded on 21 June.
What Future Skills Actually Look Like
The training spans five key areas: life skills, future skills (digitalisation, AI, TVET and STEM), creativity and arts, financial literacy and sustainable development. Popular courses include cybersecurity basics, generative AI applications and drone operation – practical skills with immediate workplace relevance.
The AI-4-Educators programme focuses on practical applications. Teachers learn to automate routine administrative tasks, personalise learning pathways and provide more targeted feedback. One module covers AI ethics in education, addressing concerns about appropriate technology use in classrooms. Another focuses on integrating AI tools for lesson planning without replacing human interaction with students.
For students and working professionals, courses range from basic digital literacy to advanced topics like machine learning applications. The platform includes modules on green technology skills, responding to ASEAN’s push towards sustainability, and financial technology literacy, reflecting the region’s rapid adoption of digital payment systems.
This comprehensive approach to future skill development reflects broader conversations about preparing students for tomorrow’s workforce, where traditional boundaries between technical and soft skills continue to blur.
The Access Question
Free access represents just the starting point. Regional statistics show significant gaps , with countries like the Philippines reporting that only 40% of the population possesses basic ICT skills. Opening Malaysia’s training resources provides opportunity, but uptake depends on internet connectivity, device access and local language support.
Early participation data suggests strong regional interest, with courses in AI and digital skills proving most popular among cross-border users. However, completion rates and practical skill application remain to be measured as the programme continues through December.
These concerns mirror broader workplace challenges around AI adoption, where organisations must balance technology advancement with equitable access and employee participation in decision-making.
The NTW 2025 portal continues operating until December 2025 at www.nationaltrainingweek.gov.my, with courses remaining free for Malaysian and ASEAN learners. The initiative operates as part of Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship role and the ASEAN Year of Skills 2025 , positioning skills development as a regional priority rather than purely national concern.
Whether open access translates to meaningful upskilling across borders will become clearer as completion data emerges over the coming months. For now, the experiment offers a practical test of whether national training resources can effectively serve regional skills development needs.
