Educrisis: The Politicization of Malaysian Schools – KSINSIGHTS AUG 2024
Published on 12 Aug 2024
Malaysia is a multilingual nation, yet the intersection of race and politics has unfortunately led to the politicization of education, with children bearing the consequences. The Ministry of Education, overseen by the Minister of Education, is responsible for organizing the educational system in Malaysia. However, despite its long-standing presence, it is clear that this system is fundamentally flawed.
Recent reports indicate a growing distrust among Malaysian parents towards the national education system, leading to an increasing preference for international and private schools, particularly among those who can afford it. This distrust has not emerged overnight but is the result of years of disappointment and perceived governmental inaction.
The situation has been exacerbated by the relaxation of regulations in 2012, allowing more local students to attend private and international schools. Numerous articles have highlighted the reasons behind this shift, including the low international reputation of the Malaysian curriculum, the appeal of a more holistic educational approach, and the growing importance of English in an increasingly globalized world. The financial burden is significant, with lower-end international schools costing at least RM 20,000 annually, while top-tier institutions can demand as much as RM 150,000 per year.
Despite these costs, parents are willing to make substantial financial sacrifices to provide their children with the opportunity to study and secure employment abroad. The declining rankings of local institutions have made parents increasingly reluctant to send their children to national universities. Coupled with the relatively low standing of the Malaysian high school certificate, this has fueled a determination among parents to enhance their children’s prospects for admission to prestigious foreign universities, often at great personal expense.
In the job market, Malaysian employers continue to view foreign graduates as more qualified than their locally educated peers, allowing these graduates to command higher salaries. A 2008 study by JobStreet.com found that foreign graduates earned, on average, 12% more than local graduates. However, due to a lack of pay transparency in Malaysia, it is unclear whether this wage gap persists.
The “Malaysia Education Blueprint (2013-2025)” aimed to address various issues by setting ambitious goals. Its objectives include increasing enrolment rates across all levels, improving literacy and numeracy outcomes, and enhancing teacher quality. However, despite these initiatives, Malaysia’s performance in TIMSS and PISA assessments has remained stagnant or even declined in certain areas. The Blueprint’s reforms, including curriculum updates, teacher training programs, and infrastructure improvements, have not sufficiently addressed the core issues impacting test scores. Despite these efforts, which have led to some notable progress, such as higher enrolment and better teaching standards, the Blueprint has not fully reversed the growing trend of students moving to private and international schools.
This continued shift underscores the need for further reforms to ensure that national schools meet the evolving educational demands and retain students within the public system.
Despite Malaysia’s significant investment in education, its performance in the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) was notably concerning. Malaysia ranked 59th in reading, 48th in mathematics, and 49th in science out of 79 countries. This is particularly troubling when compared to neighboring countries with higher educational outcomes.
For context, Singapore, which consistently ranks among the top globally, spends approximately 3.4% of its GDP on education. This investment is reflected in their impressive PISA rankings: 2nd in reading, 1st in mathematics, and 2nd in science. Vietnam, another neighboring country, spends about 4.5% of its GDP on education and also outperformed Malaysia, ranking 13th in reading, 12th in mathematics, and 12th in science.
In contrast, Malaysia allocates around 4.1% of its GDP to education, a level comparable or slightly higher than Vietnam. Given this substantial investment, the continued decline in PISA scores—31 points in mathematics, 27 points in reading, and 22 points in science—raises serious concerns. The disparity between Malaysia’s high expenditure and its relatively poor performance compared to more efficiently managed education systems highlights a significant issue. It underscores the need for a critical evaluation of how educational resources are utilized and the effectiveness of current strategies in improving student outcomes.
While only a small percentage of local students are currently enrolled in international schools— 1% at the primary level and 4% at the secondary level—the rapid expansion of these institutions and the rising enrolment rates are significant. According to Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek, Bumiputera student enrolment in international schools increased by 49.4% from 2019 to 2024, while non-Bumiputera enrolment rose by 30.6% during the same period. Malaysian students now constitute 67.1% of the 88,951 students enrolled in international schools.
It is no coincidence that parents make the deliberate choice to enrol their children in international schools. One might wonder if this choice reflects a broader strategy to ensure that their criticisms of the national education system are not only heard but addressed. Malaysian parents are deeply invested in their children’s education, yet rather than contributing to the improvement of national schools, many opt to pay for the assurance that their children will graduate with a prestigious diploma from an international institution.
The increasing enrolment of Malaysian students in international schools, alongside parents’ willingness to invest heavily in overseas education, underscores profound concerns about the perceived quality of the Malaysian education system. While international schools are widespread across Asia, Malaysia stands out for its exceptionally high local enrolment rates in these institutions.
There is an issue within the system; the curriculum is a domino effect of that – presenting a more tangible outlook when it comes to critiquing the education system, giving validity regarding how the actual system is faring. Though philosophies may seem arbitrary in speech, they provide a solid reflection of the core values that are within a system, and how to adhere to them.
There is no core philosophy in Malaysia’s education system and that provides an insight to a weaker foundation that presents itself as a lack of a mission statement. With Malaysia’s standing when it comes to the core subjects of English, Mathematics and Science, there should be an outcry because of the low and dismal scores presented. Without a proper foundation, framework, and training, we cease to be part of a rapidly changing world that values and puts education at the forefront. We are instead scrambling to try and fill the gaps, without trying to reconstruct the boat first.
The flaws within Malaysia’s education system are not solely a matter of curriculum or teaching methods; they are deeply rooted in policy shortcomings that have allowed these issues to persist. The intertwining of politics and education has stifled meaningful reform and left the system vulnerable to shifts in political power, with each change potentially leading to alterations in educational priorities and policies.
One of the most significant issues is the lack of continuity and qualifications of the post “Minister of Education”. This has to do with a lack of sustained focus on long-term educational goals. With the inconsistency impeding the implementation of good policies and reforms, after only a few short years of attempted implementation. Each new administration often brings its own agenda, which may not align with or continue the work of its predecessors. Malaysia needs an overseeing commission that will not be swayed by political power. This provides an unbiased review and more importantly, puts a robust standardization that stays in place regardless of shifting political loyalties and tensions. When this is in place, the curriculum starts to standardize and is properly carried out, focusing on education and education solely. By removing education from the direct control of politicians, Malaysia can develop a more stable and coherent education system that focuses on long-term goals rather than short-term political gains.
The highly centralized nature of the education system in Malaysia limits the ability of local schools to adapt to the specific needs of their communities. Decisions are made at the federal level, often without sufficient input from educators, parents, and local stakeholders. This top- down approach ignores the diversity of Malaysia’s population and the varying educational needs across different regions. Decentralizing the education system by granting more autonomy to local schools and education authorities could allow for a more tailored approach to education that reflects the diverse needs of Malaysia’s population. Local educators and administrators are better positioned to understand the unique challenges and opportunities within their communities.
For Malaysia to truly excel, it must move beyond superficial fixes and embrace a bold, transformative approach that places education above political agendas and aligns with the diverse needs of its future leaders.