マレーシアの教育 特に地理教育について

Abstract

In most countries, if not all, importance is always placed on the provision of education for its children, for it is these children who will provide the future leadership, and so it is in Malaysia. In Malaysia, the government has given top priority to education and educational facilities. In 1974, educational expenditure was in the region of 22% of total government expenditure, or about 5.6% of the GNP, and between then and now, the funds expended upon education has further increased.The literacy rate has also shown tremendous increase between 1957 and the present decade, rising from 51% in 1957 to 68% in 1970. This rate has further increased since then, and will continue to do so in the years to come in view of the ever increasing number of children going to school.Education in Malaysia has seen tremendous changes within the past 100 years, passing from the era of British colonialism from the 1890's till her independence in 1957, and the post-independence period. Various reforms have been made to the education system throughout this period, particularly so during the postindependence period since 1957; infact changes are still constantly being made to improve the system. This has to come about because of the change from the British system of education utilising the English Language as the main medium of instruction to a Malaysian one using Bahasa Malaysia. Towards this end, many of the Malaysian education officers have been sent, and are being sent, overseas to various countries to learn the best of their systems and to incorporate them into the Malaysian system wherever possible.It has to be understood, however, that Malaysia is not a mono-lingual nation, like Japan. The citizens are comprised of Malays, Chinese and Indians in the majority, and a lesser proportion of other races. This makes the work of educational planning and policy implementation more difficult, but the job is being done, slowly but surely.This essay tries in some way to highlight the development of education in Malaysia, the problems, and the present trends. It is hoped that it will provide some insight into, and an appreciation of, our difficulties.