education system in malaysia essay

Reflections on the State and Future of Malaysia’s Education

• First Online: 12 July 2017

Cite this chapter

• Ibrahim Bajunid 6 ,
• Ghauth Jasmon 7 ,
• Edmund Terence Gomez 8 ,
• Hwa Yue-Yi 9 ,
• Edmond Yap 10 ,
• Dzameer Dzulkifli 11 ,
• Roselina Johari Md. Khir 8 ,
• Meng Yew Tee 12 ,
• Lorraine Pe Symaco 12 &
• Moses Samuel 12  

Part of the book series: Education in the Asia-Pacific Region: Issues, Concerns and Prospects ((EDAP,volume 39))

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This chapter attempts to capture the landscape of Malaysian education through brief essays by individuals who have been involved with education in the country at various levels. Ibrahim Bajunid and Ghauth Jasmon are known leaders in higher education. Terence Gomez and Hwa Yue-Yi are most concerned about policy issues, albeit from very different lenses – Terence as a seasoned political economist, and Yue-Yi as a budding analyst who has spent time as a teacher in Malaysia’s classrooms. Edmond Yap and Dzameer Dzulkifli bring in their perspective from the front lines, as their respective non-governmental organizations (NGOs) try to chip away at the persisting challenges within the Malaysian education system. Roselina Johari Md. Khir takes a look at Malaysia’s education horizon as an educator-playwright-actor. They were asked to reflect about the state of Malaysia’s education and where it is heading in the future. The final chapter presents their essays, followed by a discussion of their reflections in light of Malaysia’s stated vision for its educational system.

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Harvey, D. (2005). A brief history of neoliberalism . Oxford: Oxford University Press.

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Hill, H., Tham, S. Y., & Zin, R. H. M. (Eds.). (2011). Malaysia’s development challenges: Graduating from the middle . London: Routledge.

Ministry of Education. (2015). Malaysia Education Blueprint (Higher Education) 2015–2025 . Putrajaya: Ministry of Education of Malaysia.

Ministry of Education Malaysia. (2013). Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013–2025 . Putrajaya: Ministry of Education.

Samah, A. A. (2007). The development of English language policy in Malaysia: The new policy on science and mathematics in the medium of English . Unpublished DPhil thesis. University of Sussex.

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Acknowledgment

Insights and selections of reflections from this chapter came in part from projects funded by the University of Malaya Research Grant (UMRG) RP004-13SBS, the Equitable Society Research Cluster and the University of Malaya Rakan Penyelidikan Grant CG035-2013.

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Axiata Foundation, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Ibrahim Bajunid

Sunway University, Subang Jaya, Malaysia

Ghauth Jasmon

University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Edmund Terence Gomez & Roselina Johari Md. Khir

Penang Institute, George Town, Malaysia

EduNation Malaysia, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

Teach for Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Dzameer Dzulkifli

Faculty of Education, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Meng Yew Tee, Lorraine Pe Symaco & Moses Samuel

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Correspondence to Ibrahim Bajunid .

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About this chapter

Bajunid, I. et al. (2017). Reflections on the State and Future of Malaysia’s Education. In: Samuel, M., Tee, M., Symaco, L. (eds) Education in Malaysia. Education in the Asia-Pacific Region: Issues, Concerns and Prospects, vol 39. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-4427-4_10

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The Malaysian Higher Education System - An Overview

by StudyMalaysia.com on March 14, 2022 | Higher Education in Malaysia , The National Education System

A Snapshot of Higher Education Institutions in Malaysia The higher education sector is responsible for the operation of higher education institutions (HEIs) in Malaysia and is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE). The education sector has always enjoyed the highest national development budget which symbolises the commitment of the Malaysian government towards education.

Malaysia's HEIs (i.e. public universities, private higher educational institutions, polytechnics and community colleges) housed more than a million students in 2011, of which about 93,000 were international students from more than 100 countries. In contrast, there were about 89,686 Malaysian students (27,003 receiving sponsorship and 62,683 self-funded) who were studying overseas in 2011.

With a multi-ethnic population of about 28.3 million, Malaysia had 20 public universities, 50 private universities and six foreign university branch campuses; 403 active private colleges, 30 polytechnics and 73 public community colleges in 2011. These HEIs offer a wide range of tertiary qualifications at affordable prices.

There are also various HEIs from the UK, the US, Australia, Canada, France, and New Zealand which offer twinning and '3+0' degree programmes through partnerships with Malaysian private higher education institutions. At present, some world-class universities such as RMIT University, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland have established their collaboration with the local PHEIs.

Five of the 20 public universities in Malaysia have been assigned research university status with additional funding for R&D and commercialisation of research. The remaining 15 public universities have been categorised as either comprehensive or focus universities. In the 2012 new year's speech, the Minister of Higher Education announced that five public universities have been given autonomy in administration, human resources, financial and academic management and student intake. They are Universiti Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Putra Malaysia and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. This move is aimed at encouraging excellence among local institutions of higher learning.

The quality of higher education is assured through the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) which undertakes the implementation of the Malaysian Qualifications Framework. MQA is also responsible for quality assurance and the accreditation of courses and other related functions, covering both public and private higher educational institutions.

The provision of higher education is well regulated. Below are some of the legislation :

• The Education Act 1996 (Act 550)
• The Private Higher Educational Institutions Act, 1996 (amended 2009)
• The National Council of Higher Education Act, 1996
• Malaysian Qualifications Agency Act 2007 (replacing the previous namely National Accreditation Board Act 1996 which has been repealed)
• The Universities and University Colleges (Amendment) Act, 1996 (amended 2009)
• The National Higher Education Fund Corporation Act, 1997 (Amendment 2000)

The internationalisation of the higher education sector is a high priority for MOHE. Efforts have been made to improve the world ranking of Malaysian universities; to have 150,000 international students by 2015; to create more 'Malaysian Chairs' at universities abroad; and to collaborate and cooperate with world-renowned universities on research and academic matters.

The government will continue to create a friendly environment and invite more world-class foreign university branch campuses or faculties to be set up in Malaysia. Currently, there are six foreign universities with branch campuses in Malaysia. They are Monash University (Australia), The University of Nottingham (UK), Curtin University (Australia), Swinburne University of Technology (Australia), Newcastle University School of Medicine (UK) and University of Southampton (UK).

Other initiatives undertaken by HEIs include the establishment of Malaysian university branch campuses in other countries and increasing transnational education collaboration with overseas institutions. Malaysian higher education is also aggressively promoted in many parts of the world through road-shows.

MOHE also aims to have 20 Research Excellent Centres which are of international standard by 2020. The nation has also targeted to achieve 100 researchers, scientists and engineers (RSE) per 100,000 workforce by the year 2020. The 10MP (2011-2015) sets to improve the quality of academic staff by increasing the number of academics with PhDs in public universities, with a target of 75 per cent in research universities and 60 per cent in other public universities. To achieve this target, the implementation of the MyBrain15 programme will be intensified to finance doctoral studies for the purpose of increasing the number of PhD holders to 18,000 by 2015.

Malaysia's first rating system, SETARA (Rating System for Higher Education Institutions in Malaysia) was implemented in 2009 to measure the performance of undergraduate teaching and learning in universities and university colleges in Malaysia. The SETARA result was measured using a six-tier category with Tier 6 identified as Outstanding and Tier 1 as Weak.

Subsequently, another rating system was introduced in 2011. My QUEST (Malaysian Quality Evaluation System for Private Colleges) was used to evaluate private colleges in Malaysia in terms of the quality of students, programmes, graduates, resources and governance. The MyQUEST rating categorised an institution as either excellent, good, or weak. The institutions would also receive a rating based on their level of achievement which ranged from 1 star (poor) to 6 stars (excellent).

These two rating systems serve as a reliable reference for students and parents in their selection of institutions and programmes of study offered by various HEIs.

Governing Authority for Higher Education - MOHE

The higher education sector is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE). The establishment of this ministry on 27 March 2004 was a result of the re-structuring of the Ministry of Education and marked an important part of history in Malaysia, particularly in the development and expansion of the higher education sector. The establishment of MOHE is in line with the vision of the government in making Malaysia a centre of educational excellence and internationalising Malaysian education.

MOHE is the governing authority for the Malaysian higher education sector. It oversees HEIs (both public universities and private higher educational institutions), community colleges, polytechnics and other government agencies involved in higher education activities such as the Malaysian Qualifications Agency, the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Nasional – PTPTN), the Tunku Abdul Rahman Foundation (Yayasan Tunku Abdul Rahman) and others.

MOHE's Vision To make Malaysia a centre of higher education excellence by the year 2020

MOHE's Mission To build and create a higher education environment that is conducive for the development of academic and institutional excellence and to generate individuals who are competent, innovative and of noble character to serve the needs of the nation and the world.

Functions of MOHE Some of MOHE's key functions include :

• Determining policies and the direction of the higher education sector in order to build an excellent and outstanding nation that is rich in knowledge, culture and civilisation
• Acting as a catalyst to develop the sector that enables the nation to compete in the era of globalisation
• Dealing with the challenges of the present global economic scene, in line with the government's aspiration to produce adequate human resource with knowledge and high moral values (National Higher Education Strategic Plan and Vision 2020).

Five Core Thrusts MOHE has its focus on five core thrusts :

• To create a strategic and systematic plan for higher education
• To reinforce the management system of higher education
• To increase the level of capacity, accessibility and participation in higher education
• To enhance the quality of higher education at par with international standards
• To internationalise Malaysian higher education

Structure of MOHE MOHE comprises four departments / sectors :

• The Department of Higher Education
• The Department of Polytechnic Education
• The Department Community College Education
• The Management Sector
• The Development Sector

The Department of Higher Education The Department of Higher Education or popularly known as Jabatan Pengajian Tinggi was restructured and established on 27 March 2004 in line with the creation of the Ministry of Higher Education. The first restructuring exercise of this department was under the Ministry of Education on 1 October 1995.

The Department of Higher Education is supported by several sectors, divisions and an administrative unit that is responsible for the development of both public and private higher education in Malaysia. It also ensures that the universities and colleges are of international standing. This Department is also involved in the marketing of Malaysian higher education internationally as well as being in charge of international students' welfare.

The sector designated with the jurisdiction over public higher education is known as the 'Sector of Public Higher Education anagement' while the sector designated with the jurisdiction over private higher education is known as the 'Sector of Private Higher Education Management'.

Department of Polytechnic Education The formation of the Department of Polytechnic Education was a result of a restructuring exercise by the Department of Polytechnic and Community College Education (DPCCE) on 16 September 2009.

The Department of Polytechnic Education has been entrusted to produce a generation of well-educated, skilled, creative, innovative, progressive and critical thinking youths who are highly employable.

Apart from public universities, polytechnic education offers an alternative route for school leavers with SPM qualifications to further their education at diploma and advanced diploma levels.

Polytechnic education is currently under major transformation with the aim of producing highly skilled graduates in line with the National Higher Education Strategic Plan (PSPTN) and the National Key Result Areas (NKRA). Polytechnics provide an alternative route that sufficiently produces highly skilled and qualified human capital which will ensure the success of a new economy based on innovation and creativity.

Department of Community College Education The re-organisation of the Department of Polytechnic and Community College of the Ministry of Higher Education in 2009 has given rise to the birth of the Department of Community College Education (or better known as JPKK). Its mission is to increase the socio-economic status of all levels of Malaysians through better access to education. This will be carried out through training programmes and the use of a life-long learning approach.

JPKK is tasked with providing vocational-based training (programmes such as Sijil Modular Kebangssan) leading to a certificate qualification for those who do not opt for the academic pathway. JPKK has taken aggressive measures to increase the student enrolment at TEVT and enhance the overall training quality of up-skilling and re-skilling programmes for the workforce involved in vocational fields.

Development Sector The Development Sector consists of the International Division, Planning and Research Division and Scholarship Division. Its many functions include preparing physical development plans that cover the five-year Malaysia Plan, facilities of public higher educational institutions as well as polytechnics and community colleges. It also handles the finances for managing and developing public higher educational institutions besides making monthly or quarterly and half-yearly reports.

Higher Education Legislation

The legal regulatory frameworks that govern the provision of higher education in Malaysia are :

• The Education Act 1996
• The Private Higher Educational Institutions Act 1996
• The National Council of Higher Education Act 1996
• The Universities and University Colleges (Amendment) Act 1996
• The National Higher Education Fund Corporation Act 1997
• The National Higher Education Fund Corporation (amendment) Act 2000
• Private Higher Educational Institutions (Amendment) Act 2009
• Akta Universiti dan Kolej Universiti Pindaan 2009

The Education Act 1996 (Act 550) The Education Act 1996 covers pre-tertiary levels of education under the national education system which comprises preschool, primary, and secondary education as well as post-secondary education.

This Act contains some provisions that apply to the Ministry of Higher Education in the establishment of polytechnics and community colleges. The Private Higher Educational Institutions Act, 1996 & Act 2009 (amendment) This Act governs the establishment and operations of private higher educational institutions. It also makes provision for the establishment of private universities, university colleges, branch campuses of foreign universities as well as the upgrading of existing private colleges to universities.

In addition, the Act enables the liberalisation of higher education in the country to meet the increasing demand for tertiary education and a highly-educated and skilled workforce.

The National Council on Higher Education Act, 1996 Under this Act, a national body was set up to determine policies and co-ordinate the development and rapid expansion of tertiary education in the country.

Malaysian Qualifications Agency Act, 2007 (replacing the National Accreditation Board Act 1996 which has been repealed)

The Malaysian Qualifications Agency Act, 2007 paves the way for the establishment of the Malaysian Qualifications Agency as a national quality assurance agency to implement the Malaysian Qualifications Framework (MQF), accrediting higher education programmes and regulating the quality and standard of higher education providers of both public and private higher educational institutions in the country.

The Universities and University Colleges (Amendment) Act, 1996 & Act 2009 (amendment) This Act seeks to corporatise the management and administration of public universities. With corporatisation, these universities are given more administrative and financial autonomy to chart programmes necessary for academic excellence.

The National Higher Education Fund Corporation Act, 1997 The purpose of this Act is to establish a fund that provides financial assistance through study loans to students at higher educational institutions in Malaysia. It also provides for the establishment of a savings scheme with the objective of instilling saving habits in children, from as early as Year 1 in primary school, with the intention of enabling them to finance their own higher education in future.

All higher educational institutions operating in Malaysia are subjected to one or more of the above legislation, depending on whether the education provider is publicly or privately-owned.

The legislation has made possible the following major enhancements in the Malaysian higher education system :

• the provision for the establishment of privately-run universities and systematic expansion of private education at tertiary level
• the provision for fines and jail term on operators who have flouted the provisions of the laws
• the provision for setting up of a quality assurance agency by the government to implement the Malaysian Qualification Framework as a basis for quality assurance in higher education and also as a reference standard for national qualifications
• the allowance for greater administrative and financial autonomy of public universities
• the establishment of student loans for greater access to higher education

The above Acts are reviewed from time to time to ensure that Malaysia achieves its aim of becoming a centre of educational excellence.

Medium of Instruction English is used as the primary medium of instruction at most of the private higher educational institutions in the country. It is however, only used for postgraduate studies at public universities as the bachelor degree courses conducted at these universities are taught primarily in the national language, Bahasa Melayu.

Providers of Higher Education

Introduction Both public and private education providers play equally important roles in the provision of higher education. Together, the public and private sectors provide abundant study options. HEIs offer programmes leading to the award of certificates, diplomas as well as postgraduate qualifications.

Higher education providers in Malaysia can be grouped into two major categories :

• Public higher educational institutions (government funded), which consist of : - Public universities - Polytechnics - Community colleges
• Private higher educational institutions, which consist of : - Private universities - Private university-colleges - Foreign university branch campuses - Private colleges

Public Higher Educational Institutions The government-funded (public) higher educational institutions under the Ministry of Higher Education consist of :

• public universities which offer bachelor degrees and postgraduate programmes, with some offering programmes at diploma level and university foundation programmes
• polytechnics and community colleges which offer certificate and diploma level programmes
• public colleges which offer certificate and diploma level programmes

Public Universities

Note: Public universities can be divided into five research universities, 11 comprehensive universities and four specialised technical universities (MTUN). The five public universities that have been designated as research universities are Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). USM has also been awarded Apex university status.. The four universities under the Malaysian Technical University Network (MTUN) are UTHM, UTeM, UMP and UniMAP.

With this autonomy, the Board of Directors of these universities would now be empowered to make decisions that were once decided by MOHE. However, the performance of these five universities would be audited to ensure that the integrity and accountability of the universities would be kept in check under the Code of University Good Governance (CUGG) and University Good Governance Index (UGGI).

In terms of student intake, these five universities are given preference to select from UPU (BPKP)'s list of applicants with Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) and Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) certificates.

Polytechnics and Community Colleges • 36 polytechnics and 104 community colleges in the country

Teacher Education Institutes (this category is under the jurisdiction of Ministry of Education) • 27 teacher education institutes

Private Higher Educational Institutions All private-funded higher educational institutions come under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Higher Education and comprise :

• Private universities, which award their own degree qualifications, diploma and foundation studies
• Private university-colleges, which award their own degree qualifications, diploma and foundation studies
• Foreign university branch campuses, which award their own degree qualifications, diploma and foundation studies
• Private colleges, which award their own qualifications at diploma and certificate levels as well as 3+0 degrees, split-degrees and tutorial support for professional qualifications

Private Universities

ist of 50 Private Universities in Malaysia (as at December 2021)

Private University-Colleges

Foreign university branch campuses.

Students who wish to obtain a degree from a foreign university have the option of enrolling at a branch campus of foreign universities in Malaysia. Currently they are ten foreign universities have set up their campus in Malaysia as at December 2021.

• mohe.gov.my , December 2021
• myCOURSE Guide

Private Colleges

There are about 331 active private colleges in Malaysia as of December 2021.

These colleges award their own qualifications at diploma and certificate levels as well as 3+0 degrees, split-degrees, degree credit transfer programme and provide tutorial support for preparation of professional qualification examinations.

3+0 Degree Providers Students who wish to pursue a foreign university degree qualification entirely in Malaysia can opt to pursue a "3+0" degree programme. The table below provides a list of some private colleges and private universities in Malaysia that conduct "3+0" degree programmes in collaboration with foreign universities.

Academic and Skills Qualifications

Both the academic and skills pathway leading to desired qualifications are available to the students in the education and training system.

Academic Qualifications (Higher Education) under MOHE Tertiary education in the national education system which is directly under the jurisdiction of MOHE comprises post-secondary education right up to higher education. Tertiary education in Malaysia offers a wide range of academic qualifications to pursue and it also includes skill training certification which is outside the domain of MOHE.

A pre-university qualification is a basic entry requirement for a bachelor degree at higher educational institutions. The providers of post-secondary education include some public universities and private higher educational institutions under MOHE. However the main providers of post-secondary education are post-secondary schools and matriculation colleges under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education (MOE).

Academic Qualifications at Higher Education Level Higher Education covers certificate, diploma, undergraduate as well as postgraduate levels. The providers of higher education are colleges, polytechnics and universities. Undergraduate studies consist of bachelor degree levels and professional studies while postgraduate studies consist of master degrees and PhD levels.

Higher education at certificate and diploma levels are for students from the age of 17 with SPM qualifications (which is equivalent to GCSE 'O' levels) while the bachelor degree level is usually for students from the age of 19 or 20 onwards with post-secondary qualifications such as the STPM (which is equivalent to GCE 'A' levels) or pre-university or university foundation qualifications. These degree programmes normally take between three to five years. After obtaining a bachelor's degree, students can proceed to postgraduate studies.

Higher education in the academic and professional fields is provided by :

• Public-funded higher educational institutions which include public universities, polytechnics, community colleges and public colleges; and
• Private-funded higher educational institutions which include private universities, private colleges and foreign university branch campuses

MOHE is directly responsible for the operations and performance of public HEIs, whereas private HEIs are guided by MOHE's policy guidelines and objectives.

The general entry requirements and duration of study at certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate levels for higher education (academic) can be grouped as below :

The qualifications awarded by all HEIs (both public and private) in Malaysia registered under laws related to Malaysian education are governed by the Malaysian Qualifications Framework (MQF). The framework specifies that a programme is required to achieve the following minimum credits before an academic qualification can be awarded, e.g. certificate (60 credits), diploma (90 credits), bachelor degree (120 credits) and taught master degree (40 credits). Master degrees and PhD obtained by research do not have credit values. The various levels of higher education qualifications based on the MQF can be defined as follows :

Skills Qualifications under MOHR Besides pursuing an academic pathway to higher education qualification from certificate to PhD levels, SPM qualification holders or youths aged 16 and above have the option to pursue Technical Education and Vocational Training (TEVT) programme leading to the award of skills qualification.

These programmes allow students a pathway to acquire skills qualifications which covers Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 of the Malaysian Skills Certificate; Level 4 (Malaysian Skills Diploma); as well as Level 5 (Malaysian Skills Advance Diploma). TEVT programmes are under the jurisdiction of the Department of Skills Development, Ministry of Human Resources (MOHR), and are provided for under the National Skills Development Act 2006. The providers of skills training are from various ministries, government agencies and private sectors.

The diagram below shows the skills qualification framework for the National Skills Certification in Malaysia (Sijil Kebangsaan Malaysia, SKM) :

The Qualification Framework for National Skills Certification in Malaysia

Higher education funding.

The education at primary and secondary schools in Malaysia is free at government schools. Students studying at public universities need to pay tuition fees. However, the fees are highly subsidised by the government. Students at private institutions pay full fees.

There are many types of financial aid readily available for Malaysian students who pursue higher education in the country. These include scholarships and study loans from the public and private sectors. The government is the main provider of financial aid such as:

• The Ministry of Higher Education (Scholarship Division)
• The National Higher Education Fund (Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Nasional (PTPTN), Ministry of Higher Education)
• The Public Services Department (JPA) sponsorship programme
• Various state foundations
• Government-linked companies
• Private sector and NGO - the private sector and non-government organisations (NGO) also provide funding in the form of scholarships, grants or study loans.

Fee waiver schemes are offered by many private higher educational institutions and many study loan schemes are offered by various organisations.

The biggest financial aid provider under the Ministry of Higher Education is Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Nasional (PTPTN). Since its inception in 1997, PTPTN has approved loans amounting to RM38.15bil as at the beginning of 2011 with an estimated 887,995 borrowers.

Various scholarship schemes are also made available to international students through :

• The Malaysian Government on G-G arrangement
• The Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia (Scholarship Division)
• Government linked companies
• Higher educational institutions
• Other commercial organisations

(Note : For more information on financial assistance, please refer to Chapter 11.)

National Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education - MQA

The national quality assurance agency of Malaysia is known as the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) which was established on 1 November 2007 under the Malaysian Qualifications Agency Act 2007. Its key function is to quality assure all programmes and qualifications offered by higher education providers. MQA comes under the responsibility of the Ministry of Higher Education.

MQA was established to replace the following three quality assurance agencies, namely :

• Lembaga Akreditasi Negara (established under Act 556 in 1996), for private higher educational institutions
• The Quality Assurance Division of MOHE, for public universities
• The Quality Assurance Division of MOHE, for polytechnics and community colleges

MQA is entrusted with implementing the national framework known as the Malaysian Qualifications Framework (MQF) to accredit higher educational programmes and qualifications, to supervise and regulate the quality and standard of higher education providers, to establish and maintain the Malaysian Qualifications Register and to provide for related matters.

The implementation of MQF means that there will be a unified system to bind and interlink all the qualifications awarded in Malaysia (which includes higher education qualifications and Malaysian Skills Certificates – SKM Level 1 to 5) and serve as a reference point for all Malaysian national qualifications.

MQF is an instrument that develops and classifies qualifications based on a set of criteria that are approved nationally and is at par with international good practices at the level of learning attained by the learners. This includes learning outcomes achieved and a credit system which is based on the learner's academic load. All the qualifications in the framework are based upon four classifications which are: (1) learning outcomes; (2) credit; (3) objectives; and (4) field of study.

MQF consists of eight levels of qualifications in four sectors of education.

The four sectors of education are the :

• skills sector
• vocational and technical sector
• life-long learning sector and
• higher education (university) sector

The eight levels of higher education qualifications are :

• Levels 1 to 3 These are the levels for skills certificates awarded by the skills sector; vocational and technical certificates awarded by the Vocational & Technical Sector; and certificates (Level 3) awarded by the Higher Education sector.
• Levels 4 and 5 These levels are for diplomas and advanced diplomas (general degree) respectively awarded by the Technical and Vocational Sector, Skills Sector and Higher Education Sector.
• Level 6 to 8 Level 6 is for the first tertiary qualification, i.e. bachelor degree with honours while Level 7 is for master degrees and Level 8 for PhD / doctoral degrees. Under the lifelong learning category, there are graduate certificates and diplomas and postgraduate certificates and diplomas.

MQA - Sectors and Qualification Levels

Study Pathway for Higher Education Qualifications

There are many options to acquire a tertiary qualification for SPM and STPM/pre-university qualification holders. The table below indicates the various options and study pathways at tertiary level.

Study Options - An Overview of Higher Education Routes for SPM Holders

The tables below indicate the study pathways at tertiary level for SPM and STPM holders :

Study Pathway for Qualification Holders of SPM or GCSE O-Level or its equivalent

Study pathway for qualification holders of stpm or gce a-level or its equivalent at private hei.

(Note : Public Universities accept STPM or MOE's matriculation certificate with MUET qualification for entry into Year 1 Bachelor's Degree.) (Source : Education Guide Malaysia (12th Edition) published by Challenger Concept (M) Sdn Bhd)

How to Apply to Higher Educational Institutions for Undergraduate Programmes

For courses at public universities e.g. asasi (foundation studies), diploma, bachelor degree (full-time mode) for the September intake, students need to apply through the Centralised Admission Agency (UPU), Bahagian Pengurusan Kemasukan Pelajar, Jabatan Pengajian Tinggi, Ministry of Higher Education except for USM. (USM is a university with Apex status and is allowed by the ministry to recruit students directly. As such, students with pre-university qualifications who wish to pursue a bachelor's degree at USM will have to apply directly to USM.)

For courses at private higher educational institutions e.g. programmes at pre-university, diploma and bachelor degree levels, students have to apply directly to the institution of their choice. There are a few intakes per year at Private HEI.

Entry Requirements

For PHEIs The general requirements for pre-university studies, certificate, diploma and bachelor degree programmes at PHEIs are :

For Public Universities The general requirements for pre-university studies, certificate, diploma and bachelor degree programmes at public universities are :

Rating of HEI

Currently there are two official rating systems for higher education institutions introduced by MoHE:

• For private colleges : MOHE has launched a rating system for private colleges in 2011, aptly known as Malaysia Quality Evaluation System (MYQUEST) which is carried out by the Department of Higher Education, MOHE.
• For public and private universities as well as university colleges in Malaysia, the Rating System for Higher Education Institutions (SETARA) has been carried out by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA).

Development Plan for Malaysian Higher Education

"Strategic Plan for Higher Education : Laying The Foundation Beyond 2020" The most significant strategic move undertaken by MOHE in the transformation of higher education is the launch of the national higher education strategic plan on 27 August 2007.

This strategic plan, namely The "Strategic Plan for Higher Education : Laying the Foundation Beyond 2020" was formulated to meet the nation's human resource capital needs and transform higher education in order to make Malaysia an international hub of higher educational excellence. The transformation is divided into four distinct phases

• Phase 1 : Laying the Foundation (2007-2010)
• Phase 2 : Strengthening and Enhancement (2011-2015)
• Phase 3 : Excellence (2016-2020)
• Phase 4 : Glory and Sustainability (beyond 2020)

This strategic plan is designed to be broad and comprehensive and focuses on seven strategic thrusts :

• Widening access and enhancing equity;
• Improving the quality of teaching and learning;
• Enhancing research and innovation;
• Strengthening institutions of higher education;
• Intensifying internationalisation;
• Enculturation of lifelong learning; and
• Reinforcing the Higher Education Ministry's delivery system
• Governance This applies mainly to public universities where clear definitions of parameters of responsibility for university's Board of Directors (which has replaced the University Council), Vice-Chancellors and Senates. With regard to university management reforms, the government has implemented the legal framework to transfer administrative powers to universities with increased self- governance. The public universities will be expected to be more accountable for their actions as they deliver strategic objectives that are in line with those of the ministry such as becoming more competitive, retaining the best academics and contributing significantly towards research.
• Leadership In order to achieve the transformation envisioned by the government, there is a need to : identify and define the required leadership roles at higher educational institutions; enable outstanding educational leaders to emerge; entrust key leadership roles to Chancellors; institutionalise key leadership processes in the areas of selection, development, evaluation and renewal; and develop a succession plan for a pipeline of talents.
• Academia Every higher educational institution must create an environment that fosters a culture of excellence to attract the most able staff and to enrich the local academia environment and have greater collaboration with corporations and international institutions. There must also be opportunities for career advancement and recognition of achievements.
• Teaching and Learning To introduce holistic programmes that produce confident students with a sense of balance and proportion. Their perspective should be enriched by other experiences as well. The academic staff is expected to be leaders in the field of teaching and to focus on the innovative delivery of curricula. Institutions need to have dynamic and relevant curriculum and pedagogy. Academic staff will also be expected to undergo enrichment programmes and demonstrate professionalism and competence in their ability to teach. To have multilingualism in the curriculum and the use of English in teaching and learning continues to be encouraged. The Malaysian Qualifications Framework has also been set up to benchmark the quality of higher education.

The second part of the National Higher Education Action Plan involves a 'critical agenda' approach designed to transform Malaysian education to become more competitive. It entails the following :

• Apex Universities These are the nation's centres of academic distinction that will aim to achieve top global ranking. Apex universities will be given more autonomy and will have the best leaders, faculty, students and facilities so as to allow them to focus on becoming the best. The student population will reflect the plural demographic profile of the country and will be admitted based on merit. International students will make up 20% of the student enrolment. USM is the first university to be granted the Apex status.
• MyBrain15 The government will accelerate the production of high-caliber human capital at the doctoral level. In doing so, it will create a pool of 100,000 high-quality graduates with doctoral degrees within the next 15 years. Top class human capital is essential to promote economic growth, trigger industrial development and explore new areas of research that can sustain a nation's competitive advantage over others.
• Academic Performance Audit All higher educational institutions will have streamlined quality assessment procedures to facilitate monitoring of quality by MOHE. An independent assessment body will focus on academic audit of the institutions. There will be a creation of a higher educational institutions rating system to rank the institutions.
• Lifelong Learning A national committee for lifelong learning will be established under the National Advisory Council on Education and Training to support the nation's human capital development needs. The government aims to increase the number of adult learners so that by 2020, 33% of the workforce will have tertiary education. The government will also establish alternatives route for access to and equity in tertiary education for rural and urban poor, taking into consideration disadvantaged individuals and communities.
• Graduate Training Scheme Opportunities will be given to students taking general courses to acquire specific career skills to prepare them for the workplace. The government will provide avenues for students to enhance their employability through training prospects which will become foundations for lifelong learning.

The third part outlines the support given in implementing the transformation of MOHE. There will a shift in the way the ministry interacts with higher educational institutions. From just being a regulator and enforcer of government policies, the ministry will also assume the role of facilitator and partner in enhancing the higher education ecosystem. The ministry plans to enhance its deliver system through the following efforts :

• Governance and management : efficiency, effectiveness and integrity
• Culture : professionalism, high performance and teamwork
• Financial resources : efficient allocation in achieving objectives
• Human resources : synergy of new, existing and old expertise
• Info-structure : timely availability of information and analysis

To implement these changes, a programme governance structure has been outlined by the ministry. Part of the agenda includes project and programme management best-practices. The programme structure involves a steering committee that reports to MOHE.

The steering committee will consist of representatives from other ministries, higher educational institutions, the corporate sector and eminent scholars. Assisting the steering committee is an advisory panel and to drive and spearhead the transformation is the Programme Management Office. The Programme Management Office will consist of a Programme Management Director and four units viz. project delivery unit, process and monitoring unit, monitoring and reporting unit, and communication unit.

Project teams will also be put together to carry out the planning and design of a specific initiative which could be a pillar or a critical agenda programme. Led by a project manager, the team will comprise individuals from various institutions and agencies, consultants and other experts.

At the higher education institution level, mini Project Management Offices will also be implemented to provide support for implementation planning and execution.

All stakeholders have shown high commitment in the first phase of NHESP through the implementation of various initiatives that are geared towards achieving pre-determined performance measures. Twenty Critical Agenda Projects were identified and carried out throughout this phase. They include :

• Teaching and learning
• Research and development
• Internationalisation
• Industry-Academia
• Graduate employability
• Private higher education institutions
• Holistic student development
• Quality assurance
• Transformation of polytechnics
• Accessibility and sustainability
• The delivery system of MOHE
• Lifelong learning
• Top business school
• Centre of Excellence
• Entrepreneurship
• Transformation of community colleges

The implementation of the National Higher Education Strategic Plan (NHESP) Phase 1 from 2007-2010 has built a solid foundation for all stakeholders of higher education in terms of increasing the quality of human capital that is able to meet the challenges of economic development. This phase has prepared the ground for systemic changes necessary to the fulfillment of long-term plans for higher education.

At the end of Phase 1 in December 2010, 22 CAPs had been implemented. For Phase 2 (2011-2015), the Minister of Higher Education announced an additional CAP, i.e. the 'Knowledge Transfer Programme', bringing the number of Phase 2 CAPs to 23.

NHESP Phase 2 (2011-2015) : Strengthening and Enhancement Phase 2 of the NHESP has been designed as a result of discussions and negotiations between every CAP project team to ensure the success of the planned agenda. The Action Plan for Phase 2 is closely linked to the achievements of each CAP implemented in Phase 1 and the overall key objectives of the "National Higher Education Strategic Plan Beyond 2020".

There are improvements of the NHESP by taking into consideration recent government policies, with specific reference made to the following documents :

• Tenth Malaysia Plan (10MP)
• Malaysian Economic Model
• Government Transformation Programme Roadmap (GTP)
• Economic Transformation Program (ETP): A Roadmap for Malaysia

In Phase 2, the seven core thrusts (in Phase 1) continue to be emphasized in the plan. All 23 CAP planned for Phase 2 play a role in the achievement of the seven core objectives. In other words, performance and outstanding achievement for all CAPs is imperative in the achievement of all the core thrusts.

During the launch of Phase 2, the Minister of Education highlighted the focus for this stage, i.e.

• Strengthening efforts to produce human capital
• Enriching creativity and innovation
• Maximizing the ecosystem of higher education
• Taking advantage of globalisation
• Transforming leadership among the leading institutions of higher learning

On the efforts to produce human capital, the plan will focus on strengthening of the 5C's in the development of talent among students which was launched by the ministry previously. The 5C's are: critical thinking and problem solving, effective communication skills, collaboration and team building, creative and innovative, and culturally literate. The development of human capital will also focus on enhancing intellectual capital.

Research, development and innovation aimed at increasing knowledge, discovery and commercialisation of new products will also be a priority in Phase 2. Among the steps that will be taken to boost R&D and innovation are to encourage a pioneer mindset among researchers; encourage innovative research in line with the requirements of nation; translate findings to products or platforms that can be commercialised; and enrich the knowledge repository of the country.

All five research universities have been instructed to intensify efforts to spearhead high-impact research platforms. Under the 10MP, research funds such as the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS), Exploratory Research Grant Scheme (ERGS), Long-Term Research Scheme (LRGS) and Prototype Development Research Grant Scheme (PRGS) are expected to enliven the landscape of R&D and increase commercialisation.

In the context of the Higher Education Centre of Excellence (HiCOE), more HiCOE will be established on the basis of mutual understanding and collaboration. The six existing HiCOE should also begin collaboration with world renowned research institutes during this phase. Meanwhile, the role of Malaysia's Top Business School (TBS) will be doubled. The corporatisation of TBS is the newest element in strengthening its role. The niche unique to TBS in Malaysia is the emphasis on the development of 'human governance'. At the same time, MOHE will assess several business schools to be upgraded as TBS by 2015.

MOHE has acknowledged the role of PHEIs in developing the potential of the nation. As such, the collaboration between public and private institutions should be intensified particularly in research, development and commercialisation as well as the sharing of best practices in terms of corporate management, income generation and others. PHEIs need to be restructured such that they do not rely on student tuition fees alone as a source of income. Alternative income through R&D&C, executive programmesand other academic services need to be explored.

The Way Forward

The tremendous growth of the Malaysian higher education sector over the last two decades has helped to put Malaysia on the international playing field in terms of providing higher education to the increasing number of both Malaysian and international students. It has also contributed towards the intensifying of research in this region.

The "Strategic Plan for Higher Education : Laying the Foundation Beyond 2020" outlines the measures and strategies that will continue to make Malaysia an international centre of educational excellence. Further, in order to secure a better future for Malaysia in this globalised and ever-changing world, the Ministry of Higher Education has outlined several priorities that will be implemented over the next 10 years. The government has clearly outlined the strategic thrusts in this strategic plan to make Malaysia an international centre of educational excellence by 2020. Among the top aims are to ensure that Malaysians will have greater access to quality higher education that is affordable. This will be achieved by optimising the resources of existing public and private higher education institutions. In addition, higher education institutions such as polytechnics and community colleges will be upgraded to shed the image that such institutions offer merely skill-based courses.

It is hoped that greater access to higher education will result in a larger proportion of the younger generation that are dynamic and progressive. The Ministry hopes that the next generation will be daring enough to face challenges, take risks, and learn to embrace adventure and exploration. HEIs have the task of producing graduates of high quality who will have a high level of employability. The curriculum produced by the institutions of higher learning needs to be in line with the needs of the global marketplace.

The ministry also plans to intensify investments in science and technology and increase the potential and credibility of the country's research centres. Malaysia aims to be a centre of excellence for knowledge and innovation as well as gain international presence. The government has identified the need for the knowledge-economy to fuel the growth of the nation. Substantial investment is required in knowledge-intensive activities such as R&D, licensing and intellectual property. Malaysian internationalisation-friendly policies have successfully convinced a number of reputable foreign universities to set up branch campuses or faculties in the country as well as many international students have Malaysia a preferred choice. MOHE has launched the Internationalisation Policy for Higher Education in 2011. This initiative aims to accelerate the inflow of international students into the country.

The well structured higher education system in Malaysia is key in enabling the government to achieve its aspirations to have a resilient nation, encourage the creation of a just society, maintain sustainable economic growth, develop global competitiveness, build a K-economy and innovative culture, strengthen human resource development and maintain sustainable environmental development.

The efforts of the government and education entrepreneurs to constantly enhance and improve the infrastructure of higher education, human resource development, and curricula in order to provide better quality education for students have earned the country international recognition. Malaysia has also been recognised for its success in the democratisation of higher education.

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Education system in Malaysia – Dialectic Essay

Introduction

The education system in Malaysia is varied due to differences in funding and religion between schools, colleges and such. The other primary difference is culture, where you may see schools with a Malaysian culture alongside schools with an Australian, British, Chinese, French, Canadian and German culture. In the western world there tends to be more female students in higher education than male, as female students are doing better, on average, in education than male students are.

In Malaysia, the trend is in the other direction with the UNDP (United Nations Development Program) saying that not enough female students are in compulsory and higher education. There is a 2:1 ratio of boys to girls in polytechnics and at public higher learning institutions.

Main argument My argument is that there are more males in both compulsory and higher education because there are more job opportunities for men in Malaysia than there are for women.

From a parents perspective, it is better to invest household resources in the child that is most likely to start working after school and college and earning a decent amount to bring into the household. Though the parents may be sure of their female child’s academic prowess, they cannot be sure that the female student will be able to use her qualifications as readily as a male student will. Definitive counter argument

The real reason that female students are less prevalent in both compulsory school and higher education is because females and women in general have no respect in Malaysia. They are seen as second-class citizens and are viewed as lesser people. They are seen as dumber and less assertive than men. They are seen as less driven and less ambitious.

It is true that this feeling may mean that a lot of women cannot get jobs at a decent level and cannot use their qualifications to their best possible use, but the job market is not where the problem starts, the problem starts with the attitude people have towards women in Malaysia. If attitudes were to change, then the entire problem would go away.

The females would have more respect in class and so would want to go to school, the male students would see women being respected and would respect them after school, and women would get jobs so that their parents feel that them getting an education is worth it.

Novel argument

It is clearly because the female students do not like the school uniforms that they do not go to school as much as male students. In 1970, all school uniforms were made compulsory. Male students have to wear the same thing, but female students may wear what the school culture and religion demands. Clearly, there are plenty of school that demands ugly uniforms from women, which is why fewer women go to school and higher education. Conclusion

There appears to be no definitive answer. It is clear that women do not get the respect they deserve in Malaysia, and that women also do not get as many employment opportunities. It seems that both are fundamental problems and that if even one of those problems were solved, then there would be a dramatic increase in the number of female students in compulsory school and higher education.

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Education Inequality in Malaysia

Nurul hanisah binti abd manaf.

Hanisah is the Chairperson of Badan Perhubungan Warwick & Coventry. She strongly believes in the power of education to lift families out of poverty

Free education under the Malaysian school system might satisfy the egalitarian view on education. But taking a detailed look, it is impossible for such equality to be fully achieved. Even within the existing public school system, there exists a degree of educational inequality.

It is first important to note that the term ‘education inequality’ in itself carries various definitions, with William Tyler summarising five different definitions that sociologists use in this respect. For the purposes of this writing, I shall look at the definition in which he describes education inequality to have stemmed from the background of students and their schooling-environment.Here I will also recognise the argument of education inequality in Malaysia being somewhat attributed to race, but I shall refrain from focusing on this factor with focus being placed solely on the inequality in the areas aforementioned. To give a detailed argument on such a topic would require one to trace the history of the New Economic Policies, assess the constitution and the history of the Bumiputera institutions, as well as the implications of changing the status quo of the Bumiputera in Malaysia.

Born into a family with generations of teachers, my upbringing revolved around academic achievement and no hesitation came from my parents when it comes to spending on academic matters. During high school I had never realised the bundles of PMR and SPM revision books I had was testament to my privilege. However, this is also where the difference in socioeconomic backgrounds come into light. Attending tuition classes and getting revision books can be seen as a norm to most of us, but there are those that are only able to rely solely on their schools to support their studies. A few years back, RISDA funded school teachers to conduct extra classes for low-income students in rural schools, spending more than RM10, 000 on each school. However, only a limited number of schools were involved due to the monetary constraints involved. This goes to show that it is indeed possible to provide students from low-income backgrounds with similar advantages as middle-class students, but the main obstacle still lie within limited funding.

One would argue there already exists boarding schools and aids for low-income students. Despite of that, how many low-income students are actually able to get into these boarding schools? When considering the rise of over 2, 000 registrations in each level for private schools offering the national syllabus, this will further widen this inequality in resources and opportunities. Regrettably, such educational inequality in terms of opportunities obtained from one’s socioeconomic background can never be fully curbed as different income levels among households will continue to persist. This is where government policies come in and try to bridge this gap.

Under Belanjawan 2020, the largest portion of the budget was allocated to Education, with an increase of more than RM4 billion than in 2019. However, most of this allocation is going towards school maintenance and repairs. Indeed, it is important for facilities in schools to be upgraded. However, it is interesting to note that a study done showed that the schooling environment has no major significance in a person’s life chances. This also indicates that the quality of a particular school may not significantly affect the academic performance of a student. Instead, what affects performance are the materials and resources available to the schools.

Therefore, in my opinion, there should also be a greater allocation for the funding of additional materials such as revision books and reading materials, for low-income students. Previously under the 2019 Budget, RM2.9 billion was allocated for education assistance, but such allocation is no longer available for 2020. I have also heard of low-income families who wish for their children to work in the blue-collar sector straightaway after SPM rather than pursuing tertiary education. This is influenced by the mindset that it is better for one to work in the blue-collar sector rather than face the risk of unemployment and inability to repay PTPTN loans. For that reason, it is essential for government bodies to rigorously continue aid for low-income students (i.e. not just those in rural areas, as urban poverty also exists).

In addition to this, there are also monetary incentives on academic performance, such as the now-abolished New Deals (Bai’ah) award, which will allow some schools to extensively fund the school’s academic and cocurricular activities. Undeniably, this incentive will certainly boost a school’s motivation to achieve the best academic performance, but it can also result in the disparity between high-performing public schools and other public schools.

Simply put, education requires money, regardless whether in the public or the private sector. If the nation’s economic situation improves and appropriate funding is allocated within the public school system, there are possibilities that more students are able to get equal additional opportunities in education, thus addressing the problem of education inequality.

NB: This article reflects the opinion of the writer, and does not reflect the stance of UKEC  By Nurul Hanisah Binti Abd Manaf, Chairperson, Badan Perhubungan Warwick & Coventry

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Education System in Malaysia

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In Malaysia, there are many education systems that had been used such as Primary School Old Curriculum (KLSR), Primary School Integrated Curriculum (KBSR) and Primary School Standard Curriculum (KSSR). KBSR is one of the education policy that had brings many achievement and successful in education system. In addition, to improve current education system, KBSR makes few changes in two aspects which are curriculum and school culture.

In each category, there are its own aim and target to develop.In order to develop children as learners through KBSR, teachers must grounded into four principles which are integrated approach, holistic development of individual, one education for all and life-long learning. The aim of KBSR want to provide primary school pupils with language and arithmetic skills that enable them to communicate and solve problem in daily life for their future. Furthermore, the changes of KLSR to KBSR are not only in curriculum but also in school environment. KBSR was implemented for trial in 1982 and a year after that which is 1983 it is fully implement in all primary schools.

First of all, teachers or educators must know the definition of twenty-first (21st) learners because all of them will face students from that live in 21st century or known as generation Y and Z. According to Barnett (2010) “Twenty-first-century learning means that students master content while producing, synthesizing, and evaluating information from a wide variety of subjects and sources with an understanding of and respect for diverse cultures. Students demonstrate the three R’s, but also the three C’s: creativity, communication, and collaboration.Then they must analyze and know each student’s potential.

When educators know their students potential and characteristics it is easy for them to using various teaching skills in each class they teach. Based on the definition above, the 21st learning contains of three R’s and four C’s which are reading, writing, arithmetic, creativity and innovation, critical thinking and problem solving, communication and collaboration. All of the elements above are supported by learner attitude and motivation to learn, thoughtful engagement, effective use of technology also life and career skills.Besides that, to realize this plan teachers also need to nurture or implant important element based on National Philosophy of Education (NPE) which are cognitive, psychomotor and affective domain with balance and harmonious. In addition, to make this plan successful, someone who are capable, knowledgeable and experiences in teaching profession should hold this responsible. Hence, the products of this plan should be blend with skills, knowledge and values to succeed in work and life for their nation and future.

As we know, children who live in 21st century are different from other century because they had been exposed to high technologies since they were born. Besides that, all of them are from generation Y and Z and they need adult to guide and assist their while they are growing up. As a teacher who is teaching 21st century children, they need to know each characteristics of generation Y and Z. Generally children from generation Y are tech savvy, achievement-oriented, team-oriented and attention seekers meanwhile for generation Z are children tend to tech savvy, social, multitasking and speedy.Generation Y is consists of people who are relying on technology or tech savvy to do complete their jobs. All of them are grew up with technology such as mobile phones, laptops and prefer to communicate through internet compare to face to face.

Meanwhile achievement-oriented means generation Y have high confident level and wants meaningful works also like to seek out new challenges. Next is team-oriented which is they like to work in group and usually they are loyal and committed while doing the jobs.Lastly for generation Y is attention seekers which mean they really need someone who can guide and be their mentor to develop their young careers. For generation Z children also addict on technology. Without mobile phones and all gadgets they cannot life. Compare to generation Y they are more expert and advance in term of technology.

Then, all of them are like to social in social websites like Face book and Twitter. In addition they are grown up with this facility but the good side about it is they are more creative and collaborative. Third characteristic is all the children are multitasking.They can do many works in one period for example they will text, eat and talk together but actually they lose their ability to focus while doing works.

Lastly, speedy which means all information that generation Z received must be in short, precise and clear information because it is easy for them to understand. According to Daniel (2010) “I gear my curriculum so students can experience success as quickly as possible. ” They are multitasking so that they do not need much time to spend in each works. Teachers need to prepare their self to teach children from 21st century because they will face big challenges from the children.

Those children are not only advance in technology but sometimes are more knowledgeable than adults. As we know, in Malaysia education had grounded on NPE and current education system such as KBSR. In KBSR there are principles that had been stated above and teachers need to be creative to apply those principles in order to develop children as learners. Moreover, they can use other strategies such as 21st century learning to teach those children by knowing their characteristics. They need to know the characteristics of 21st learners.

There are nine characteristics which are very essential but these are only some of the list such as learner-centered, adaptable, personalized, interdependent, and data-rich. There are four principles in KBSR and teachers need to use all the principles to develop children as learners. First principle is integrated approach where knowledge, skills and values are combined then integrate to physical, emotional, spiritual and intellectual. Through this concept, there are four ways for teachers to implant all the elements in children to be learners which are skills cohesion, infusion, integration and element across the curriculum.Skills cohesion divides into two which are in one subject and between subject that are based on four main skills speaking, listening, reading and writing.

Teacher can use or focus on two skills in one time while learning process such as listening and speaking in Music or English class. Children will enjoy doing this activity. Next is infusion that means all knowledge that teacher teach in school are related to each subject. For example to nurture good moral values in students itself, teacher will teach them moral subject or Islamic education so that all of them can apply it while doing work in group or in daily life.Furthermore, integration is combination between two elements consist of co-curriculum and curriculum, knowledge and practice also past experiences and new experiences.

All these integration actually want to emphasize pupil’s basic skills. Lastly, element across the curriculum which consists of language, environments, science and thinking skills which enable teacher to teach pupil based on syllabus and add more general knowledge in children to attract their attention also more focus in class.Secondly, holistic development is implementation of physical, emotional, spiritual and intellectual in individuals through all subjects taught in school. Children grow up with knowledge and potentials with teachers and parents support.

In school, teacher is a person who is responsible to give and hone pupil’s potential. Each potential is related to other elements such as skills, knowledge and values. Thus, all these elements can produce a good quality in each individual. Another principle is, life-long learning means continuously learning process and not restricted by time.Actually this principle are supported by school or teacher’s role by deliver knowledge and skills also keep encourage pupils to learning for future.

Other than that, teacher can nurture pupils to love of knowledge so that children can adapt their self to be learners in their life. Hence in this principle, children really need guide and help from teachers. One education for all emphasize that all pupils at the same school level received the same curriculum and only the medium of instruction difference. Under this principle, there are three areas which are communication, man and His environment and individual self-development.For this principle each area have it own components consists of several subject.

Teachers teach these subjects according to student level or year in school. Children will keep learning by following the sequences and syllabus that had been provided by Ministry of Education. In each area it is divided into six components, for example for communication it contains basic skills that are focuses on 3R. In this area, teachers teach about language and indirectly enhance pupil’s communication skills by practicing in their daily life.On the other hand, man and His environment contains spiritually, values and attitudes components that pupils will get by learning mathematics, science, moral education also Islamic education.

All these subjects can make pupils more knowledgeable, noble, skillful with dynamic, and can produce pupils who are responsible and have good moral values. The fourth area, is about individual self development that teacher want to implant living skills, arts and health education components. Through this area, pupils learn about living skills such as entrepreneurship, technology-based knowledge and work management.Meanwhile, in arts and music pupils learn about drawing, colors, and shaping also student learn how to play with musical instruments under teacher guidance by following step by step. This subject can enhance pupil’s talents, and produce pupils who are creative, innovative and have aesthetic value.

Both physical health and co-curriculum subject are aims to provide pupils who practice healthy lifestyle with high knowledge in health. Besides that, from co-curriculum, school can produce pupil with high discipline, self- confident and enthusiastic.Thus, all principle in KBSR gives fully advantages for children to be learners which they learn to adapt under the guidance from teachers and parents. Actually, all those KBSR principles are related with old theories such as social learning theory, cognitive theory and humanistic approach. All these theories are guidance for teachers to teach or implant children with elements that children need to be learners. For this reason, we can go through information about social learning theory by Albert Bandura which he is stated that “behavior is learned from the environment through the process of observational learning” (Bandura 1977).

To simplify, this theory is emphasized that children learn through observation and imitate by watching other people (model) do. Behavior, environmental factor and personal factor include cognitive, affective and biological event are three main factor that affect children to be learners in future. In education, this theory shown that teacher is the model while children in the learning process. Based on this theory, it involved four steps in this learning theory such as attention, retention, reproduction and motivation. Attention and retention are the first two steps that are very important.In this process children should be focus and then try to remember what they get before.

If this topic can attract children attention it is easy for them to remember the information. The next two steps are reproduction and motivation. Reproduction is the product from attention and retention and it is relying on student cognitive ability. Motivation means that children get more from the action of reinforcement by imitating the model’s behaviour. For example, in classroom children see their friends come early than others, so they motivated to come early in each day.Indeed this theory also, focuses on children self confident.

Cognitive theory is also related with KBSR principles because it is emphasize about activities like thinking, deciding and remembering can shape children behavior and attitudes. This theory indirectly related with holistic development which focuses on children development in each aspect which are emotional, physical, intellect, spiritual and balance with other potential. Other than that, to make children as learner teacher need to use various kind of teaching method.For example, in this theory it is suggested that, teacher use expository teaching, meaningful-learning and dual coding. Expository teaching is teacher provide tools while learning so the process for information encoding, storage and retrieval are easy. Besides, for meaningful learning is teacher need to use old information first, and then give them new information but still connected.

The uses of text, picture or ICT can grab student’s attention because it is other method to remember and encoding the information. Other theory that helps children to be learners is humanist.According to Ornstein (1998) “Humanistic is the total person- the cognitive, the affective, and even the spiritual self- who is involved in gaining knowledge and working toward wisdom. The students’ self-concept and self-esteem are essential factors in this process”. By stated the definition it is clearly shown about children development to be learners.

In fact, in this theory emphasize about children learns because they are inwardly driven, to achieve good achievement. This theory is totally about creating the need within the children or implant children with self-motivation.Besides, in education perspective usually humanist’s teachers will focus on children developing self esteem to make them feel better and have high self-efficacy. Humanist theory use child-centered method which means children are responsible for their education and future. There are common values that emphasize in education for this theory which are affect, self, communication and personal values. Affect is focuses on feeling and thinking meanwhile self concept is the process of implementation of positive and negative values in children life.

While communication occur, it must have positive and honest in each words people use.Lastly, children must have good personal values for their development so that they can know, express and actualize themselves. Thus, humanist theory is theory that preparing child for their future life. In the globalization era, all teachers need to be creative, innovative and skillful. Mostly, children who live in 21st century are smart children and all of them are grown up with technologies.

Based on the research before, Howard Gardner had found seven distinct form of intelligence consists of linguistic, musical, logical-mathematical, spatial, body-kinesthetic, intrapersonal (meta-cognition) and interpersonal social skills).According to Gardner (1991) “students possess different kinds of minds and therefore learn, remember, perform, and understand in different ways. ” Teachers or parents can detect types of children’s intelligence and encouraged them to use their preferred intelligence in learning. Their intelligence can improve by examination or assessment to know their intelligence level.

In order to visualize multiple intelligence theory, all educators may use various learning style consists of visual, auditory and kinesthetic learning style (VAK).The function of learning style is to develop pedagogies that allow children to be more effective and efficient learners. Before teach teachers need to check their method must be simple, easy to implement in wide variety of context or in different ages and keep practicing using this method to make sure their effectiveness towards learners. Visual learning style is learning by seeing teacher body languages or facial expression by the help of image. They tend to take detailed note and sit in front in the classroom.

Furthermore, auditory learner is learns through verbal lessons, discussion or reading text loudly.In addition, while study, they like to make musical jingles and create mnemonics which can make them easy to memorize. Meanwhile, kinesthetic learners are comfortable learn through hands-on approach and actively exploring world around them. Usually pupils like them will take frequently break because they cannot sit still for long periods and they will learn music while they study to make them active and energetic while study. Hence, teachers play an important role while to make all students in classroom get the same input while teaching and learning process occur.

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Sunday, May 07, 2017

5 ways in which malaysia education system could improve, five ways in which malaysia education system could improve.

Be consistent

Teach practical subjects, focus on coursework, not exam.

Implement interactive teaching style

Encourage extra co-curricular activities, 0 comments:, post a comment.

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