Malaysian Education System

Abstract

A country’s education system is the bedrock of its economic growth and national development. In today’s global economy, a nation’s success depends fundamentally on the knowledge, skills and competencies of its people. The education system provides its people with the skills and knowledge that drives the country’s growth and, with it, its prosperity. This chapter aims to illuminate Malaysia’s school educational system. The education system has made tremendous progress since 1957. At the time of Independence, over half the population had no formal schooling, while only 6% of Malaysian children had been educated to secondary level, and a paltry 1% to the post-secondary level. Six decades later, access to education has been transformed beyond recognition. Therefore, this chapter commences with some explanation and contextualisation of diversity of schooling options in Malaysian education. Next, this chapter will discuss the schools’ curriculum options that are all committed to developing the child holistically along intellectual, spiritual, emotional and physical dimensions, as reflected in the National Education Philosophy. This chapter will also provide insights on the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013–2025 aspirations for the Malaysian Education System as a whole and its fundamental objective of ensuring its students are being equipped with the knowledge and skills required for success in life. Insights on the linkage between the Malaysia Education Blueprint and the Sustainable Development Goals, and for an education in a post-COVID era will also be presented.