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MALAYSIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM

Malaysian Education System Malaysia is a federation composed of three federal territories (Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan) and thirteen states, nine of which are presided by traditional rulers called Sultanates (Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Johor) and the remaining four are ruled by a Governor General (Penang, Malaca, Sarawak and Sabah).

This country achieved its independence from the British Empire in 1957 and became the Federation of Malaya. In that year Constitution was enacted setting forth a constitutional monarchy as its form of government. By 1963 the Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak colonies united with the Federation of Malaya, constituting what at present is called Malaysia. It should be noted that Singapore was expulsed in 1965, thus becoming an independent republic.

The grounds and operation of the Malaysian education system were brought into law by 1996 , in which year the Education Act was announced setting forth the basis of the country’s educational structure, whose characteristics are still perceived nowadays.

At present, education is under the scope of two entities: the Ministry of Education – MOE, which governs pre-school, primary and secondary education, all non-university levels and teachers’ training, and the Ministry of Higher Education – MOHE, which oversees tertiary and university education in the country.

Nowadays, Malaysia is an educational center in the region hosting foreign students from different parts of the world.

Accordingly, several institutions from other countries have landed in Malaysian territory, turning it into one of the countries with the largest enrolment of international students.

To a great extent this is due to the economic growth undergone by this country in recent years and its concern as regards the education conditions of its inhabitants. The latter may be noted in the educational reform called Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025, which the governmental authorities have decided to carry on with the aim of improving educational standards and quality.

Such project is aimed at, among other purposes, the full enrolment at school of all Malaysian children and teenagers from pre-school until the completion of their secondary studies and their equitable access to quality education. It will also seek to mitigate the education differences as regards certain variables such as the location of institutions (urban or rural), socio-economic, gender and religion-related conditions, among others. In turn, it will encourage the ongoing training of teachers, pursue better results in international educational tests, allow higher autonomy of schools and introduce new learning technologies, among other challenges.

Another distinctive feature of Malaysia is its diversity as concerns ethnic groups. Though this country is mostly composed of ethnic Malays, there is a diversity of groups, for example, the so-called “bumiputra” which are non-Malay native people (Thai, Khmer, Cham and those native from Sabah and Sarawak), indigenous peoples and, lastly, inhabitants from China and India accounting for 25% of the population.

This plurality of communities which lies down in Malaysia is observed in the variety of languages existing in the country.

The main teaching language is Bahasa Melayu , used in most of the public schools. Furthermore, in 2003 English

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was introduced as a language for teaching subjects such as mathematics and sciences, however, this measure was repealed in 2011, leaving such language as a second one in primary and secondary educational institutions. On the other hand, in Chinese and Tamil national schools, their languages prevail, while Bahasa Melayu is in the second place and English in the third one.

Within public Universities, the Bahasa Melayu language is used, however, subjects such as IT, mathematics and sciences are generally taught in English, which is also used for teaching in most of the higher education private institutions.

As regards religion, the Constitution of Malaysia allows freedom from religion. Anyway, Islam is deemed to be the official religion comprising 60% of adhering members in the country. In addition, there is Buddhism (20%), Christianism (9%), Hinduism (6.5%) and Confucianism (2%).

Competences As stated above, since 2004 the management of education in Malaysia is shared by two Ministries: the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education. However, in 2013 and 2014, this system disappeared unifying both institutions. Then, by mid-2015, they were divided again maintaining this configuration until today.

Within the educational system and under the supervision of the federal government, each of the states has an Education Department that collaborates with the task of the referred governmental bodies. In any case, their tasks are limited given the high degree of centralization of the two Ministries.

Given the lack of autonomy of each of the states and their respective schools, there are, as a result, deficiencies in teachers’ training, teachers’ recruitment , drafting of curricula, etc., as a consequence of the lack of adaptation and remoteness of the local needs in each of the Malay territories.

This is mostly due to the legacy of the colonial education system prior to independence, on the one hand, and to the efforts to obtain access to education with a population that is very widespread and resistant to schooling, in some parts, trying to centralize the functions pursuing greater effectiveness. This scenario is similar in several of the “young” nations of the Asian continent, which seek to achieve a national identity and, in turn, the country’s unity and development (as is the case of Malaysia).

Academic structure PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION This education level embraces children from 4 to 6 years of age. As it is not compulsory, attendance is at will of the Malaysian families.

At the same time, its optional status results in that most of these institutions are managed by private entities and not by federal or local governments. Within the first category, we may also find schools run by religious groups.

Consequently, not everyone can access this level of education, that is why the Government has raised in recent years that children should have access at least to the last year of preschool education by opening public educational establishments.

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PRIMARY EDUCATION Primary school starts compulsory education in Malaysia. It is intended for children from 7 to 12 years of age.

There are two types of institutions managed by the federal government, the so-called National Schools in Malay (Sekolah Kebangsaanand) or “normal” and National Schools that provide instruction in a language other than Malay (Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan - SJK), also called “Vernaculars “, which offer Chinese or Tamil as basic teaching languages.

Regardless of the type of school, the six-year duration of this level is classified into Standards (Darjah), ranging from Standard one to six. In turn, these are divided into two levels comprised by three Standards . During the first one, emphasis is placed on reading, writing and arithmetic, and on the second, subjects related to science, arts, social studies, physical education, and others are added. English becomes part of the curricula in the second level.

After completion of the sixth Standard, students should complete what is called the “Primary School Achievement Assessment” (Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah - UPSR) to advance to secondary school, where the Malay and English languages, science and mathematics are primarily assessed. This evaluation will be the first one within the system of assessments that this educational system goes through (See Exhibit - Table 1) SECONDARY EDUCATION This educational level comprises Malaysian students from 13 to 17 years old. Each one of the years of study is called Forms (Tingkatan) that, in turn, are divided into two cycles: Lower Secondary (MenengahRendah) of three years of duration and Upper Secondary (Menengah Atas) of two years of duration.

Within secondary institutions we may find secondary national schools, religious schools and national schools of Chinese or Tamil type.

In the case of students who have graduated from the primary level of a “vernacular” school they must complete an additional transition year (Remove Class) to achieve a level of Malay that allows them to attend secondary school at national schools; while students who come from Malay language schools are directly admitted.

Within secondary education, students have the possibility to choose from a wide range of optional subjects such as humanities, vocational and technical training, science and Islamic studies. While subjects such as English, mathematics, geography and history are compulsory.

While promotion from one level to another within the secondary school does not depend only on the academic performance of students, they must complete the First Cycle Examination (Penilaian Menengah Rendah - PMR) before beginning the second level.

After this examination, students will be classified, according to the type of school and teaching chosen within the options available in the Upper Secondary level, such as: academic (linked to the area of science or arts), professional technician (for training of technicians in trades) or religious.

Regardless of the type of education chosen, students must complete a Form 5 examination and obtain the Malaysia Education Certificate (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia - SPM). Besides, graduates from vocational training schools will be able to obtain the Skills Certificate of Malaysia (Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia – SKM).

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PRE-UNIVERSITY EDUCATION In order for students to have access to university, there are two option: one of them is to carry out what is known as Form 6, which covers one and a half years of post-secondary study and, after completing it, they must pass the Examination allowing them to enter University (Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia - STPM). The second option is to carry out what is called Matriculation at the so-called Matriculation College, which consists of a one-year training program carried out by the Ministry of Education, which once approved, enables graduates to study at public universities.

HIGHER EDUCATION Higher education comprises a variety of educational institutions regulated by the Ministry of Higher Education. At present in Malaysia there are 20 public and 33 private universities, 24 polytechnics, 37 community colleges and around 500 private ones. There are also 4 foreign universities and institutions offering higher education from the following countries: United Kingdom, United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, New Zealand, among others.

In Malaysia there are different certifications within this educational level. On the one hand, there are certifications and diplomas that last from one to three years. Then there is the Bachelor’s Degree that may imply up to five years of studies. Subsequently, postgraduate studies may be pursued through a Master’s Degree or a Doctoral Degree.

All degrees awarded by Higher Education Institutions (HEI) are governed by what is known as the Malaysian Qualifications Framework (MQF), which represents a unified system of qualifications within the higher level embracing public and private institutions at national level.

It provides, on the one hand, a comparative evaluation for the denomination and linkage of all degrees (See Exhibit Table 2) and, on the other hand, a system of credits to compare the different qualifications within the different branches comprising the higher level in Malaysia (See Exhibit - Table 3), which are used among local students and also to level the educational paths of foreign students.

Funding

In recent years, educational funding has been increasing in Malaysia. If we observe the evolution of public expenditure in this country in education we note that it grew from 15.03% in 2011 to 21.48% in 2013 of total public expenditure. In this way, public expenditure on education reached 6.29% of GDP in 2013.

In Malaysia, the State finances about 95% of the institutions that make up primary and secondary education, and it is estimated that it finances around 50% of tertiary education. In contrast, pre-school education is not subsidized by the national government, that is why the vast majority of institutions at this level of education (voluntary) are private.

In this country, private education is taught at all education levels, but it has a higher impact on higher education, with low representation in primary and secondary schools (only 5%).

As for higher education, students of public universities must pay tuition fees, which are subsidized by the State so that they do not generate large expenses for Malaysian youth and adults. In contrast, those who choose education in private universities will have to pay a full fee, although they may request a waiver of payments, leaving it to the institution’s discretion.

In turn, there are government initiatives that provide students with financial aid schemes (grants and loans) facilitating entry to this education level. In this sense, the Government is the largest provider of these resources through the Ministry of Higher Education.

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Compulsory Education

In Malaysia only primary education is compulsory, which extends from 7 to 12 years of age. This is stipulated by the Education Act of 1996.

Although secondary and higher education is free, they are not compulsory. To the contrary, free education within preschool is reduced and this is evidenced by the marked presence of private institutions as opposed to public ones.

The aim of the new Malaysian Education Plan is to increase the years of compulsory schooling from 6 to 11 years, incorporating secondary education within this category.

Technical Education and Vocational Training

By 1964, only two public educational institutions had been established in Malaysia, providing technical and vocational education for young people and adults. Since then, this type of training has progressed to become a solid alternative to traditional education in this country, reaching an offer that promotes more than 500 public institutions in addition to private ones.

Under the new Education Plan, technical education (TE) and vocational training (VT) are expected to be given greater visibility, in order to further prioritize this type of education, which aims to supply the industrial and business sectors of skilled workers with a view to promoting national economic growth and to project itself at the international level in the context of globalization.

To this end, the authorities have set forth the creation of a National Technology Council with the aim of increasing their attractiveness as an educational option and recognizing technical education and vocational training professionals by offering them better contractual and salary opportunities.

Competences in Technical Education and Vocational Training

In Malaysia, teaching programs and the certification of technical education and vocational training are promoted by seven Ministries , including the Ministry of Higher Education (MHE), which provides the largest offer in this regard, and accordingly, it concentrates the highest number of students in the area. Another Ministry with great training and certification influence is the Ministry of Human Resources (MHHRR).

Due to the multiplicity of actors providing this type of education and their respective certification, in 2012 the MHE and the MHHRR have carried out a process of rationalization, coordination and collaboration between different agencies (including private ones) in order to reduce duplication and achieve the optimization of resources.

This task was carried out through two institutions, the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) under the purview of the MHE and the Department of Skills Development (DSD) under the purview of the MHHRR. It will therefore be the task of these two bodies to lead the work of validating, within their respective fields of competence, the standard curriculum and certifications according to the aforementioned Malaysian Qualifications Framework (MQF).

In this sense, the instruction provided by Polytechnics, Vocational Training Centers, Community Colleges, MARA Institutions (Majlis Amanah Rakyat) and Universities under the purview of the MHE will be certified by the Qualifications Agency of Malaysia, while those programs of training in skills and trades offered by Training Institutions will do so

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through the Department of Skills Development (See Exhibit - Table 2).

Besides, the qualifications offered and validated by the Department of Skills Development (DSD) are founded under the so-called National Occupational Skills Standard (NOSS), which sets forth the formulation of national standards in terms of vocational skills in a particular field.

In turn, the DSD is responsible for the system of qualifications called the Malaysian Skills Certification (SKM) which is graded on a five-level scale (see Exhibit - Table 4), which allows them to from a Skills Certificate to an advanced Diploma.

It should be noted that the presence of technical education and vocational training can also be denoted at pre-post secondary levels. These are supervised by the Ministry of Education (ME), which administers the educational levels that comprise the pre-tertiary and university education stage.

VOCATIONAL TRAINING THROUGH THE ME As from primary education, Malaysian children begin to receive, through different subjects, different skills and to train themselves in different competences that are intended to be very useful for their life.

Those who have completed primary education will be able to choose what is called Pendidikan Asas Vokasional (PAV) or Basic Vocational Education in public schools within Lower Secondary education. This modality of studies, born in 2012, is aimed at incorporating the learning of soft, technical and vocational skills at the beginning of secondary education, enabling its graduates to obtain the Skills Certificate of Malaysia (up to levels 1 and 2).

Subsequently, as regards Higher Secondary, students will be able to opt for different modalities:

Technical branch (TB): mechanical, civil and electrical engineering, agriculture and science, among others.

Vocational training branch (VTB): trades, commerce, home economics, science, among others.

Skills development branch (SDB): occupational courses.

All of them have a duration of two years (Form 4 and Form 5). However, these three types of modalities have undergone changes in recent years due to the conversion of VTB (72), TB (8) and SDB schools into Vocational Training Centers or Vocational Colleges, which combine and articulate knowledge of the three branches offering specific education in the area for the Malays as from their 16 years of age.

Within this type of institution, two training courses can be observed: the Vocational Training Program, which lasts four years and grants a diploma (Diploma Vokasional Malaysia - DVM) which enables the entry to the higher level within this branch of knowledge. On the other hand, there is the Skills Development Program which lasts two to four years and awards degrees based on the Skills Certifications of Malaysia (up to level 5).

Both can be studied in public and private institutions. The admission requirement will be to have the Lower Secondary (i.e., Form 3) approved or the PAV. Vocational training through the MHE Those who hold the DVM or the Higher Secondary School (SPM) degree can enroll in higher level institutions, such as: Polytechnics, Kolej Komuniti or Community Colleges, Technical Institutes or any of the Universities that make up the Malaysia Technical University Network (MTUN). Students will be able to obtain certifications and diplomas here, and those who have passed the university entrance examination (STPM or Matriculation) will be able to pursue a degree course within the MTUN and be licensed.

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In addition, the MQA provides an alternative admission system to the formal way of educational programs through what they call Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL). Considering the knowledge and experience people may have in the area, they are enabled to train in higher education institutions to obtain a degree (from certifications to a Master’s degree).

Vocational training through the SDS and others Institutions that offer training in this area are varied, such as the Institute of Industrial Learning (Institut Latihan Perindustrian - ILP) or the National Institute of Skills for young people (Institut Kemahiran Belia Negara - IKBN).

It should still be underscored the existence of other educational programs that come from different organizations and public institutions that are intended to guarantee continuous training for workers and employees.

In conclusion, it is evident that DSD graduates have limitations to continue their undergraduate studies because their training is mostly practical and not so linked to theory, which distances them from the academic field. On the other hand, MQA graduates have greater accessibility to continue their undergraduate studies through the academic path.

In addition, the fact that, as we have seen, several Institutions from different Ministries come into play when it comes to providing training and their corresponding enrollment, still generates confusion regarding the coordination of responsibilities, differentiation of certifications, calibration of learning outcomes, among other. All these issues are intended to be dealt with and gradually resolved with the Malaysian Education Plan for the coming years.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Website of the Ministry of Education of Malaysia www.moe.gov.my

Website of the Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia www.mohe.gov.my

Website of the Ministry of Human Resources of Malaysia www.mohr.gov.my

Website of the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) www.mqa.gov.my

Website of the Department of Skills Development (DSD) www.dsd.gov.my

Website of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) www.ibe.unesco.org

Website of the National Library of Teachers www.bnm.me.gov.ar

Website of Study Malaysia www.wenr.wes.org

Página web Study Malaysia www.studymalaysia.com García Garrido, J.L. , (1992), Problemas mundiales de la educación (Nuevas perspectivas), Madrid, Spain, Dykinson, Law 550. Educación. Gaceta Federal de las Cámaras del Fiscal General de Malasia, January 1, 1997.

Law 652. Desarrollo de Habilidades. Gaceta Federal de las Cámaras del Fiscal General de Malasia, September 1, 2006.

Law 679. Agencia de Calificaciones de Malasia. Gaceta Federal de las Cámaras del Fiscal General de Malasia, August 29, 2007.

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Malaysia Academic Structure

Malaysian Technical Universities Network (MTUN)-Higher Education Technical Institutions

Universities

Polytechnics-Community Colleges-Technical Institutions

Community Colleges Tertiary Institutions

Form 6 (STPM) or Matriculation 18 years of age

16 years of age

Vocational Training Centers (Vocational Colleges)

Vocational Training Diploma (DVM) Secundaria Superior

Lower Secondary Education

Skills Development Certificate (SKM 1 or 2)

Basic Vocational Education

13 years of age Primary Education

7 years of age Pre-school education 4 years of age

References Compulsory education Formal/traditional education Technical education and vocational training provided by the ME and the MHE Technical education and vocational training provided by the Ministry of HHRR and others

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Skills Development Institutions (ILP, IKBN and others)

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