Malaysian Education & Learning Report 2022
Published on 30 Jun 2023
KSI organised its annual National Education and Learning Summit in 2022 with a theme centred on Revitalising Education to Fulfill the Needs of Tomorrow at Seri Pacific Hotel Kuala Lumpur on 31st March 2022.
The Summit featured four panel sessions – (i) Lessons from the Pandemic for Higher Education, (ii) Filling the Human Capital Gaps in the Post-Pandemic, (iii) Industry Feedback – How Are Graduates Faring in the Workplace?, and (iv) Co-curricular Education: The Neglected Part of Education.
Gracing the Summit as guest-of-honor was YB DAtuk Mohamed Bin Haji, Alami, Deputy Ministry of Education II, Malaysia. He expalined the efforts of the Ministry and how Malaysian education has boldly endured the COVID pandemic all the while with the Ministry of Education (MOE) keeping the safety of the children in mind. As the threat of the pandemic faded, physical classes in school have resumed with millions of primary and secondary students returning to school. This decision was made with due diligence as schools have taken necessary steps to ensure the safety of students and teachers from the virus. Malaysia must prepare its young for the growing digital change which has implications for its labour market. Malaysian education providers have to be up to date with industry requirements in terms of skillsets and expertise or risk losing out in the digital divide. The undersupply of high-skilled jobs has caused some to take on jobs they are overqualified for. Reskilling programmes and a review of an appropriate teaching syllabus need to be accelerated. Malaysia aspires to become a centre for investment with hopes of attracting the world’s top multinational companies and convincing them to set up operations in the country. To facilitate this aspiration, various industries need to create and develop job functions that are suitable for highly-trained graduates. At the same time, the pursuit of head knowledge cannot be done at the expense of soft skills which are necessary for the workspace. Educators must also see the importance of co-curricular activities and allow students to pursue their interests naturally, wholeheartedly, and genuinely. MOE has implemented ways to improve learning conditions in schools by providing lockers as part of an effort to ensure students are given the best opportunity to succeed in their education. The hope is for Malaysian students to become role models who not only contribute to the country but are also successful on the world stage.
Key Points from Entire Summit Proceedings:
- Prioritise a forward-looking education approach aimed at equipping the nation with graduates poised for the future workforce. This involves placing a strong emphasis on digitalisation and educational transformation, while also guaranteeing widespread access to necessary hardware and connectivity.
- Align output from tertiary institutions with the needs of industry by commissioning a comprehensive National Manpower Study to determine the workforce needed to accurately assess future workforce requirements.
- Foster holistic education that focuses that is centred on nurturing the overall development of a student’s potential. This will empower individuals to achieve well-rounded growth encompassing physical, mental, emotional, and social facets.
- A fall in enrolment in private higher education institutions during the COVID years may lead to a reduction of approximately 100,000 graduates by 2024, which is not sustainable for Malaysia’s growth due to a lack of talent.
- Given the significant outflow of talent from Malaysia, it’s crucial to adopt policies that promote the influx of foreign talent instead of constraining or deporting international students’ post-graduation.
- The lack of affordable among the Bottom 40 is the primary cause for the decrease in HEI enrolments.
- Digital solutions in the form of data management and artificial intelligence should be incorporated to improve the efficiency of administrative processes.
- Approach toward license renewals for education institutions such as tadikas (kindergarten) language centres, language enrichment centres, and special needs children’s centres should be reviewed as annual renewals are cumbersome for schools and pre-schools with a large number of teachers.
- K-12 schools or special needs education providers are currently under the jurisdiction of Jabatan Kebajikan (Department of Social Welfare) Malaysia. As students in the private school system require special school education provision after the age of seven, it would be best if this role is taken over by the Ministry of Education to facilitate the progress of students.
- The curriculum need to be revised to enhance soft skill development, including skills for learning, and emphasise work-based learning to better match the supply and demand for skills
A detailed report can be downloaded from:
