Why does half the country break for holidays on a different week?
If you've ever had cousins in Kedah on a school break while your kids in Selangor still had another week of classes, you've met the Group A versus Group B split. It's one of those quirks of the Malaysian school calendar that makes perfect sense once someone explains it. If nobody does, it just looks like chaos.
Let's walk through how school term breaks actually work here, and how to use the school holiday calendar to plan family trips without the last-minute scramble.
The Ministry of Education sets the schedule
All public school term breaks are set by the Ministry of Education (Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia, KPM). Every year KPM publishes the Takwim Persekolahan which lists term start and end dates, school holidays, and public holidays that fall during term time.
Private schools and international schools often set their own calendars, so check directly with your child's school if they're not in the national system.
Group A and Group B
This is the part that trips up newcomers. Malaysia runs two parallel school calendars based on the weekend pattern of each state.
Group A (school week runs Sunday to Thursday):
- Kedah
- Kelantan
- Terengganu
These states follow a Friday-Saturday weekend, so their school week is Sunday to Thursday. Their term breaks are shifted by one day compared to Group B.
Group B (school week runs Monday to Friday):
- All other states and federal territories
These follow a Saturday-Sunday weekend and the standard Monday to Friday school week.
The total number of school days in a year is the same for both groups. The difference is just which days the holidays start and end on. If KPM says a term break runs from Friday 28 May to Sunday 6 June, Group B students start their break Saturday morning, while Group A students had Friday off anyway and start the break on Sunday.
Typical term structure
The Malaysian school year has undergone a few shifts over the years, but the current structure (as of 2024 onward) runs roughly like this:
| Term | Approximate period | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Mid-March to late May | Covers roughly 10 weeks |
| Mid-year break | Late May to early June | About 1 week |
| Term 2 | Early June to late August | Covers roughly 10 weeks |
| Mid-term break | Late August to early September | Around Hari Kebangsaan / Hari Malaysia |
| Term 3 | Early September to mid-December | Covers roughly 14 weeks |
| Year-end break | Mid-December to mid-March | The long one, 8-10 weeks |
The year-end break is by far the longest. Most family holidays, outstation trips, and cuti-cuti Malaysia plans revolve around this period.
Always check the school holidays page for the current year's exact dates. The schedule shifts slightly every year to accommodate Ramadan, Hari Raya, and other holidays that depend on the Hijri calendar.
Public holidays during the school year
Public holidays inside a term are additional days off. Students don't need to make up the day (except in rare circumstances). Major ones to plan around:
- Hari Raya Aidilfitri (usually March or April, 2 days)
- Hari Wesak (May)
- Hari Kebangsaan (31 August, near the mid-term break)
- Hari Malaysia (16 September)
- Deepavali (October or November)
- Christmas Day (25 December, during year-end break)
Some of these align conveniently with weekends or term breaks. Others land mid-week, which is great for one-day outings but not enough for a proper trip.
Planning family holidays
A few tips that parents learn the hard way.
1. Book during term, travel during break is only useful if your employer agrees. Otherwise, the travel premium during school breaks is real. Flights to popular destinations in mid-December can be double the normal price.
2. Hari Raya Aidilfitri week coincides with one of the school breaks most years. That's when Malaysian highways see their peak traffic. Leave a day early or late to avoid the worst of it.
3. Group A states get "extra" Fridays year-round. If you're in KL but have family in Kota Bharu, their kids have Friday off every week. Use that for weekend visits without needing to take leave.
4. The year-end break is your real window. December and January are the biggest travel months. Book international flights 6-8 weeks ahead for the best rates.
5. Cross-reference with state public holidays. Each state has its own state-specific calendar. If you're travelling within Malaysia, a state holiday at your destination might add an unexpected extra day to your kid's break (or traffic, depending on your luck).
School term breaks vs long weekends
Not every school holiday is a public holiday, and not every public holiday is a school holiday. The 2026 calendar shows both side by side, which makes planning much easier. A short break for working parents might actually span:
- A weekend
- A mid-week public holiday
- A school term break around it
- A strategic day of annual leave
Stacked correctly, this can produce a 6 or 7 day break from just 1-2 days of leave.
Keep an eye on mid-year updates
The KPM occasionally adjusts the Takwim Persekolahan due to elections, emergencies, or pandemic-era catch-ups. Changes are usually announced through Pekeliling Ikhtisas (official circulars). Kalendarnegeri.my reflects these when they're published, but your child's school is always the most authoritative source.
Plan with the school calendar, plan around the public holidays, and plan at least one full weekend buffer. The rest is up to how much kuih raya or Christmas cookies you can pack into the car.
For the current 2026 school term schedule, head to the school holidays calendar.